Sitting on the island in our kitchen are some wines from Santa Barbara's Riverbench. Riverbench Vineyard and Winery is well known for its Chardonnay and Pinot Noir. The Riverbench Vineyard and Winery, a boutique-producer estate winery, founded in 1973, produces small lot Chardonnay, Pinot Noir and Sparkling wines. In 2004 a group of local families purchased the vineyard and established a winery, and started to produce wine under the Riverbench label. Over the years Riverbench has become a longtime favorite of ours.
Riverbench, Santa Maria Valley © Spaswinefood
Riverbench, Foxen Canyon Wine Trail © Spaswinefood
Welcome to Santa Barbara Wine Country
Santa Barbara Wine Country has micro-climates and terrains, allowing for a diverse grape growing. It is home to seven American Viticultural Areas (AVAs) with distinct climate and soil: Santa Maria Valley, California’s second oldest AVA is the most northerly. Santa Ynez Valley AVA has four sub-AVAs (West to East): Sta. Rita Hills, Ballard Canyon, Los Olivos District, and Happy Canyon of Santa Barbara. Alisos Canyon is the youngest AVA. The Burgundian grapes, pinot noir and chardonnay, thrive in the Sta. Rita Hills and Santa Maria Valley; Rhone grapes like syrah and grenache in Ballard Canyon; and Bordeaux's cabernet sauvignon and merlot in Happy Canyon. You will also find Italian and Spanish varieties, and late harvest and bubbly wines too.
The diversity and uniqueness of Santa Barbara's AVAs results in great variation in growing conditions. Riverbench is in the Santa Maria Valley, the northern most AVA in Santa Barbara Wine Country. The Burgundian grapes, pinot noir and chardonnay, thrive in the Santa Maria Valley; hence it is not surprising that Riverbench is know for its Chardonnay and Pinot Noir wines. In this post I will share some of the wines we enjoyed recently.
Riverbench Wines: Chardonnay, Pinot Noir, Sparkling Wine and Rosé
During our last visit we tasted their Bedrock, Chapel View, and Reserve Chardonnays.
1. Riverbench, Bedrock Chardonnay, Santa Maria Valley
Riverbench, Bedrock Chardonnay, Santa Maria Valley © Spaswinefood
Riverbench, Chapel View Chardonnay, Santa Maria Valley
Riverbench, Chapel View Chardonnay, Santa Maria Valley © Spaswinefood
Chardonnay Reserve, Santa Maria Valley (left)
Chardonnay Reserve (left) & One Palm Pinot Noir, Santa Maria Valley (right) © Spaswinefood
All of these expressive Chardonnays are extra special.
2. Riverbench Pinot Noirs
The Santa Maria Valley not only produced great Chardonnay wines but also, Pinot Noir as well. During our last visit we also tasted their One Palm, Clone 115, Mount Eden Clone, and Estate Grown Pinot Noirs.
Mount Eden Clone Pinot Noir, Santa Maria Valley 2018 (right side)
One Palm Pinot Noir, Santa Maria Valley 2019 (right side)
See these wines brought back memories of a picnic lunch at Riverbench.
Whenever I have visited Riverbench the tasting room staff are most helpful. It is always great to get such a warm welcome. This Santa Barbara County winery is well worth a visit. Given there are over 100 wineries in Santa Barbara County if you are interested in the greener wineries with great wines then put Riverbench Vineyard & Winery on your list. I invite you to join me in my travels in California and elsewhere at Spaswinefood.
Mount Eden Clone Pinot Noir, Santa Maria Valley 2018 (right side) © Spaswinefood
One Palm Pinot Noir, Santa Maria Valley 2019 (right side)
One Palm Pinot Noir, Santa Maria Valley 2019 (right side) © Spaswinefood
Chardonnay Reserve (left) & One Palm Pinot Noir, Santa Maria Valley (right) © Spaswinefood
Riverbench, Clone 115 Pinot Noir, Santa Maria Valley
Riverbench, Clone 115 Pinot Noir, Santa Maria Valley © Spaswinefood
Riverbench, Estate Grown Pinot Noir, Santa Maria Valley
Riverbench, Estate Grown Pinot Noir, Santa Maria Valley © Spaswinefood
Besides the Chardonnay and Pinot Noir wines we sure enjoy their Sparkling wines. There is always a need for a special celebration with Riverbench's Sparkling, Chardonnay, and Pinot Noir wines.
Riverbench, Sparkling Wine, Santa Maria Valley © Spaswinefood
3. A Rosé Picnic at Riverbench
It was a busy May weekend and the tasting room was busy so we decided on a picnic lunch. For our picnic we decided on a Riverbench Rosé. Since attending a session on rosé wines given by Elizabeth Gabay MW I bring a more insightful approach to understanding this style of wine. Gabay's book Rose, understanding the pink wine revolution offers an in-depth analysis to understanding rosé wines.
This time I took the time to admire and analyze the rosé wine in my glass.
Let's take even a closer look. There is a history of making good Pinot Noir rosé wines at Riverbench.
Glancing from the picnic table out over the vineyard sitting on the Santa Maria Bench is springtime at its best. Indeed a Riverbench Rosé paired well with the view.
It was a busy May weekend and the tasting room was busy so we decided on a picnic lunch. For our picnic we decided on a Riverbench Rosé. Since attending a session on rosé wines given by Elizabeth Gabay MW I bring a more insightful approach to understanding this style of wine. Gabay's book Rose, understanding the pink wine revolution offers an in-depth analysis to understanding rosé wines.
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| Springtime Picnic, Riverbench © Spaswinefood |
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| Riverbench Rosé in the Glass © Spaswinefood |
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| Riverbench, Rosé of Pinot Noir Time © Spaswinefood |
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| Riverbench, Rosé of Pinot Noir 2017 © Spaswinefood |
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| Riverbench Rosé in the Springtime © Spaswinefood |
Today Riverbench wines are produced under the capable direction of the winery's team. Riverbench now produces Chardonnay (15 acres under vine), Pinot Noir and Rosé of Pinot Noir (115 acres of Pinot Noir under vine). Since 2008 they have used their Pinot and Chardonnay to produce Sparkling Wines. In 2015 they added Pinot Meunier, a third grape varietal, to their production of Sparkling Wines. These days they now produce a sparkling Pinot Meunier. While they are best known for their Chardonnay, Pinot Noir, Rosé of Pinot Noir, Sparkling Wines, they also produce a late harvest Riesling.
Travelers along the Foxen Canyon Wine Trail will find it hard to miss Riverbench's sustainably farmed vineyard on the bank of the Sisquoc River, on the Santa Maria Bench.
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| Riverbench Vineyard © Spaswinefood |
Riverbench Winery is a most wonderful setting for a spring picnic. Before leaving Riverbench I took a close peek at the vineyard.
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| Spring Vineyard, Riverbench © Spaswinefood |
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| Spring Vines, Riverbench Vineyard © Spaswinefood |
I do remember Riverbench as being one of the earliest SIP Certified wineries in Santa Barbara County. A California winery, which uses sustainable agriculture must meet certain requirements to be Sustainability in Practice Certified (SIP Certified).
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| Riverbench Vineyard and Winery, 2019 © Spaswinefood |
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| Riverbench, A SIP Certified Winery © Spaswinefood |
Whenever I have visited Riverbench the tasting room staff are most helpful. It is always great to get such a warm welcome. This Santa Barbara County winery is well worth a visit. Given there are over 100 wineries in Santa Barbara County if you are interested in the greener wineries with great wines then put Riverbench Vineyard & Winery on your list. I invite you to join me in my travels in California and elsewhere at Spaswinefood.
Sharon
Time for Riverbench Wines
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