Sandhi wines & Domaine de la cote

TL;DR

  • Cute for pictures: 3.5/5 (tasting room is downtown but you can also visit their vineyard)

  • QPR: 5/5

  • Main varietals: Chardonnay, Pinot, Sparkling wine

  • Tasting fee: $50

Sandhi and Domaine de la Côte are two different brands founded by a sommelier Rajat Parr. Both focus on some of the most prestigious and distinctive vineyards in Santa Barbara County, particularly in the Sta. Rita Hills, known for its cool climate and coastal influence that favors Pinot Noir and Chardonnay.

Domaine de la Cote gained its fame when one of their wines was featured in Somm 3 during a blind tasting. Sandhi has an emphasis on old vines and dry-farming techniques and whole-cluster fermentation, enhancing the wines' structure and earthy aromatics.

The tasting room is located in downtown Lompoc along with other wine making facilities, close to the beautiful vineyards in Sta Rita Hills. We were welcomed with a traditional method sparkling wine, 2016 Blanc de noir, and it was delicious! We then drove 5 minutes and got to see the unique terroir and elevation of their vineyards.

Their Chardonnays and whole cluster Pinots were a treat and I enjoyed various bottles from both Sandhi and Domain de la Cote. I went back and forth revisiting and doing side by side tastings and ended up buying a bottle of 2020 Sandhi Sanford & Benedict Pinot, 2021 Romance Pinot, and 2016 Blanc de Noir.

If you like Champagne or cool climate Pinots, highly recommend trying their wines!

More about Sandhi and Domaine de la Cote

Tyler Winery Mae Estate

TL;DR

  • Cute for pictures: 4/5

  • QPR: 4/5

  • Main varietals: Chardonnay and Pinot

  • Tasting fee: $50 or $125

I first learned about Tyler for good Burgundian Pinots and Chardonnays outside of Burgundy. I got to try a few of their Pinots and wanted to make sure I stop by their tasting room. I was greeted with a glass of rosé and welcomed at the property overlooking the vineyard.

I learned during the tasting that a lot of their wines are exported to Europe, which might be why you might not have seen their bottles, They have a few different bottles of Pinots and Chardonnays including Mae Estates which are from vineyards around their property and additional single vineyard wines under the Tyler label.

My favorite from the tasting line up was the Bentrock vineyard but I’ve also had a bottle of their Sanford & Benedict and La Rinconada before and both were tasty.

More about Tyle Winery: Website

Lokoya

TL;DR

  • Cute for pictures: 5/5

  • QPR: 4/5

  • Main varietals: Cabernet Sauvignon

  • Tasting fee: $200, waived with purchases/for allocation memberes

Lokoya was such a special tasting experience. Not just because of the quality of their wines but the property, tasting room set up, and thoughtfully curated wine flight with snack pairing were all amazing. Definitely a luxury experience given the price tag but their wines sell for $300+ so tasting through 4 different wines + Chardonnay almost pays itself if you have been curious about their wines!

4 wines in the tasting flight are all 100% Cabernet Sauvignon, each from a distinct mountain appellation in Napa. There are 5 Mountain Appellations in Napa and believe Lokoya is the only winery that produces from all 4 of them: Diamond Mountain, Mt Veeder, Howell Mountain, and Spring Mountain.

Tasting starts with a glass of Chardonnay from Howell Mountain (rare for Chardonnays), that’s not overly buttery or oaky.

More about Lokoya: Website

Three Sticks Wines

TL;DR

  • Cute for pictures: 4/5

  • QPR: 4/5

  • Main varietals: Chardonnay and Pinot

  • Tasting fee: $80, waived for members

Three Sticks Adobe tasting room is located in the heart of Sonoma downtown off the main square. Once you walk through an adorable door from the street, you will be greeted with a tasting space that feels like a hidden garden. Although you don’t get any vineyard views, the vibe here totally makes up for it.

Tasting flight includes a few different Chardonnays and Pinots from all around Sonoma including Gap’s crown, Russian River Valley, and Sonoma Coast. They do a great job with the side by side pouring of the line up so you can compare the difference and really see which one you like!

More about Three Sticks: Website

Champagne Baron Dauvergne

TL;DR

  • Cute for pictures: 4/5

  • QPR: 5/5

  • Main varietals: Blanc de Noir Champagne

  • Tasting fee: None, purchased a few bottles

I’ve been loving Blanc de Noirs from Bouzy and wanted to visit a few producers in the area. I remembered trying a bottle from this producer at a bar in Korea and decided to visit. The entire visit actually ended up being a super fun memory because their secretary/host who speaks english was unexpectedly out and the “retired” 3rd generation wine maker Hubert greeted us, in French.

They specialize in Blanc de Noir and Rosé Champagnes using Pinot Noir grapes in Bouzy and Hubert’s son Vincent currently manages and makes Champagnes. The family lives on the property and they have an underground cave with an open elevator. Overall super fun visit and great Champagnes at a great value, at ~$30-50 from the winery.

More about Baron Dauvergne: Website