This Sauvignon Blanc is made primarily from grapes grown in the Santa Ynez Valley, a relatively warm area within the cool Santa Barbara AVA. It has a straightforward flavor.
The Sauvignon Blanc grapes come from small vineyards in the Santa Ynez Valley and Los Olivos region of Santa Barbara, all of which are sustainably farmed and come from both old and new vines.
The grapes are hand-picked at night, pressed whole clusters with minimal skin contact, and fermented in a mix of neutral oak and stainless steel tanks.
Honey, melon, lemongrass, and Japanese pear create a fresh and refreshing aroma. Clear acidity and chalky minerality envelop the fruit flavor on the midpalate. A slight oily nuance adds depth to the flavor.
Alta Maria Vineyards was named after the 1800s pioneer James Ontiveros, whose ancestor came to this area on St. Mary's Day in 1855. The land (Rancho Ontiveros) currently owned by James, the ninth generation owner, is a part of this area. It is surrounded by famous vineyards such as Au Bon Climat and Bien Nacido, which supplies grapes to high-end wineries.
In 2004, he founded Alta Maria in collaboration with Paul Wilkins, who taught him wine at university. The winemaker Ontiveros and winemaker Wilkins are most concerned with how to reflect the wonderful terroir of the Santa Maria Valley in their wines. The label features a handmade nail from the pioneer era, which truly expresses their thoughts.
After working in the field management and grape purchasing department of a major winery, he became the sales and marketing director for the Miller Family, which includes the Bien Nacido vineyard. He inherited a small 8-acre vineyard called Rancho Ontiveros from a family that ran a dairy farm, and gradually planted Pinot Noir there. In 2004, he founded Alta Maria with his college friend, Wilkins.
While studying oenology at university, he gained experience working at several wineries. He met John Alban, a pioneer of Rhone varieties in the United States, and in 1998, he rose to the position of assistant winemaker at Alban Vineyards before graduating from university. After working on the production of wines at Alban Vineyards in glorious vintages that received Parker 100 points one after another, he became independent and launched his own brand. In 2004, he started Alta Maria together with Ontiveros, and produces Pinot Noir that carefully expresses the terroir of the Santa Maria Valley.