Vandenberg is a selection from Kick-on Ranch plots. Kick-on Ranch vineyards are located at the westernmost end of the Sta. Rita Hills AVA, a little west of Los Alamos, and have Betteravia sandy loam soil. The plots used for Vandenberg are those that are directly exposed to the cold winds blowing in from the Pacific Ocean, with even the leaves blown away. A small amount of noble rot grapes are also blended to give the wine a complex flavor. This wine is characterized by the stone fruit aroma that is typical of Riesling. The name of the wine comes from the Vandenberg Air Force Base of the United States Air Force, which is located near the vineyard. 2016 was a warm vintage. It was a very challenging vintage to ripen the grapes while maintaining the acidity, but the result was a very complex and wonderful wine. It is spicy and fruity, reminiscent of Germany's Grosses Gewächs. Owner and winemaker Graham Tatomer has been working at a winery in his hometown of Santa Barbara since he was just 16 years old, and was fascinated by the old Riesling vines at Lafond Vineyard in Santa Rita Hills, the oldest in California. All wines made in California's cool climate are light, rich in flavor nuances, and characterized by firm acidity. The most representative variety of this style is Riesling. Riesling is a unique white grape variety that conveys the individuality of the soil in which the grapes grow, the charm, power, focus, and beauty of the variety itself, in the wine. In 2003, Graham, who was fascinated by Riesling, studied under Emmerich Knoll, one of Austria's leading dry Riesling producers, and experienced four harvests to cultivate his know-how of aromatic varieties. The Knoll family became like a second family to Graham, and he learned about the charm of Grüner Veltliner, a grape variety native to Austria. After returning to the United States in 2008, he established his own winery, Tatomer, and later began cultivating Grüner Veltliner, starting with the release of two single-vineyard Rieslings. Tatomer's upper-class wines are released in a "very dry" style, rather than the "slightly dry" style currently available on the market. Steinhügel, released in 2017, is brewed in an approachable "dry" style as an entry-level wine. The rich acidity of the grapes is felt in the wine, so it is delicious to drink as is immediately after release, but it is also a wine that can be paired with food and can withstand long-term aging. The winery's annual production is only 2,000 cases. Graham was featured in the American national newspaper San Francisco Chronicle in 2014 as "the winemaker to watch today," and is said to be a pioneer of aromatic varieties in California, second only to him.