Rising in the middle of the western Santa Ynez Valley, the Santa Rita Hills are the distinguishing feature of our AVA, home of Lafond Vineyard and a wonderful area to grow Riesling.

The long, very cool growing season of this area is exemplified by February bud break and September harvest, a long period for vine physiology that creates wines of intense concentration and balanced acidity.

Riesling's allure over that of other white wine is the necessary precision and attention to detail that goes into making this wonderfully versatille noble grape maintain its racy acidity and interestingly complex flavor profile.

In Alsace and Austria Riesling is traditionally made into a very dry wine. Winemaker Bruce McGuire has experimented over the years with different levels of sweetness, measured by residual sugar, from dry to late harvest style.

Lafond Vineyard is home to about 15 acres of Riesling. This dry Santa Rita Hills designated bottling comes from an old block which gives the wine great depth and concentration.
 
Winemaker's Comments: The 2018 Riesling was fermented totally dry and aged sur lie in stainless steel tanks with occassional batonnage. What resulted is a crisp and fragrant wine that makes a great aperitif and pairs well with Thai food.