Waitrose In Partnership With Villa Maria

Foxen

Julia's Vineyard Pinot Noir 2020

This has a nice ruby, transparent color and comes in at 14% ABV. Savory cherry fruit and some white pepper aromas with smooth tannins. Medium finish. On the lighter side and nicely balanced. — 9 months ago

Shay liked this

Bien Nacido

Santa Maria Valley Pinot Noir 2018

Deep Ruby color, with aromas of ripe fruits, floral, herb and complex spice, aged 16 months in 50% new French oak. On the palate flavors of black cherry, plum and strawberry with pepper, tea, herbs, licorice and oak, soft tannins on well balanced structure. Full body, long finish, ending with spice, fruit, tobacco and mineral tones. Very Nice! — 2 years ago

Tom, Anthony and 1 other liked this

Lieu Dit

Santa Maria Valley Melon de Bourgogne 2022

I’m told this is the last vintage of this wine as the vines will be torn up and replaced with Pinot Noir.

I hope the cost of land doesn’t kill experimentation and creativity in California. It’s wines like these that reveal special things.
— 3 years ago

Ira, Scott@Mister and 4 others liked this
Austin Hohnke

Austin Hohnke Influencer Badge

I will add that if I’m in Santa Barbara tasting wine in July I sure as hell want a glass of this over a Pinot, Syrah, or Chardonnay.

Qupé

Bien Nacido Vineyard Santa Maria Valley Syrah 2016

Light purple with just the faintest hint of cherry and a wide brim. The nose here speaks to Syrah. Real Syrah, not close your eyes and it might be Pinot Syrah. A big vegetal upon opening with a little green olive but the bright fruit soon takes over. Plums and black cherries combine with mushrooms and smokiness. There’s a bit of something resembling Lucky Strikes but in a good way. The best part is that everything is in its right place. Nothing disjointed.

Highly impressive balance and structure. Again, everything in the right place. After decanting, the palate shows boysenberry, dried cherries, and more plums. A little forest floor and mild smoke. As much funk as you would want it in a Syrah. The finish is long and just lingers on the tongue. This is real Syrah. It’s the good stuff. More age will only improve this. Terrific stuff.
— 5 years ago

Dawn, Trixie and 2 others liked this

Murphy-Goode

North Coast Sauvignon Blanc 2018

Over 30 years ago, Tim Murphy, Dale Goode and Dave Ready founded their three-family partnership in 1985 & launched the brand with two wines: estate grown Fumé Blanc and Chardonnay. Crisp aromas of citrus fruits, Blend of 96% Sauvignon Blanc & 4% Semillon. Palate crisp fresh furry fruit flavors with some peach & melon. Medium finish, lively acidity ending with citrus tones. Nice value. — 6 years ago

Daniel P. liked this

Clendenen Family Vineyards

"Bricco Buon Natale" Nebbiolo 2014

This wine was recorked to enjoy 24 hours later. The spoils enjoyed today! Garnet colored wine. Bright acidity start to finish. Bien Nacido and has all that weedy, fig, ash character. Raspberry backbone. Very intricate in the middle with herbs and spice. Sweet yet somewhat tart finish. This is going to probably improve a bit over the next year or two. Has great structure and acidity. — 7 years ago

Benjamin KeatorShay A
with Benjamin and Shay
Shay, Skip and 19 others liked this
Shay A

Shay A Influencer Badge Premium Badge

Such a unique wine. Nebbiolo from bien Nacido vineyard by Jim Clendenen! Bright and faint red in the glass. Tart rhubarb, rose petal and cherry tobacco aromatics. Herbal, bay leaf and slightly sour. A very nice rendition of Nebbiolo at a solid price by a talented winemaker.
9.0

Belle Glos

Clark & Telephone Vineyard Pinot Noir 2017

Dark ruby in color with a wide reddish rim.

Very fruity on the nose and full bodied with medium minus acidity.

Dry to off dry on the palate with nice complexity.

Showing black currants, blackberries, cooked plums, oak, vanilla, dried fruits, licorice, chocolates, tobacco, herbs, spices, light herbs and peppercorn.

Short finish with soft tannins and tangy raspberries.

This 8 year old Pinot Noir from Santa Barbara County is still drinking very nicely, but will not get better from this point.

Complex and easy drinking. Fruit forward with a touch of RS. Rich and extracted with a mouth coating feel.

A nice sipping wine.

14.6% alcohol by volume.

91 points.

$50.
— 10 months ago

Ron, Tom and 13 others liked this
Ron R

Ron R Influencer Badge Premium Badge

That’s a weird looking bottle 👀😀

Solomon Hills

Santa Maria Valley - Santa Barbara County Pinot Noir 2020

Ruby red color, with aromas of ripe fruits, floral and complex spice, aged in 45% new French oak. On the palate concentrated flavors of raspberry, cherry and currants with pepper, tea, herbs, vanilla and oak, soft tannins on well balanced structure. Full body, rich long finish, ending with spice, ripe fruit and oaky tones. Very Nice! Drink for next 5-8 years. — 2 years ago

Tom and Paul liked this

Saarloos & Sons

In Grateful Memory Of Cabernet Sauvignon

Introduction of Saarloos to our new neighbors…..perfect pairing with Santa Maria Tri-Tip — 4 years ago

Milissa and Shay liked this

J. Wilkes

Santa Maria Valley Chardonnay 2018

Paired with Eggs in Purgatory brunch!! — 5 years ago

J. Wilkes

Santa Maria Valley Pinot Noir 2015

Wes kills it every time! Pairs great with meat lasagna. Brought out the spices in the wine. — 5 years ago

Ryan and Jason liked this

Stolpman Vineyards

Para Maria de los Tecolotes Syrah - Petit Verdot Blend 2017

Delectable Wine
9.1

The 2017 Para Maria de los Tecolotes, a blend of Syrah and Petit Verdot, is pliant and energetic, with terrific balance and tons of sheer appeal. Dark red fruit, spice and wild flowers all develop in this forward, inviting wine from Stolpman. (Antonio Galloni, Vinous, September 2019) — 7 years ago

Joanne liked this

Raventos i Blanc

de Nit Rosé Cava Blend 2016

Founded in 1986 by Josep-Maria Raventos, member of the Codorníu family, creating a small, quality-oriented winery standing apart from the large co-ops. A blend of 40% Xarel-lo, 36% Macabeu, 18% Parellada, 6% Monastrell. Red berry and floral aromas with fine bubbles. On the palate strawberry and cherry with mineral yeasty notes on the lingering finish, good balance. Hand harvested and secondary fermentation rests for 15 months before disgorgement. A nice bargain. Tasting Sample. — 8 years ago

Daniel P. and Dawn liked this

The Ojai Vineyard

Bien Nacido Vineyard Pinot Noir

With Alex in West Lake village — 8 years ago

Sanguis

Bossman Syrah 2021

Sanguis “Bossman” Syrah 2021
Santa Ynez Valley, Santa Barbara County, California, USA 🇺🇸

Overview
Bossman is Sanguis’s bold and expressive Syrah, led by Matthias Pippig’s vision of terroir-focused winemaking. The 2021 blend composition is 83% Syrah, underpinned by 10% Grenache and 7% Viognier—a structure that balances Syrah’s powerful core with aromatic lift and texture. 

Aromas & Flavors
Expect dark, plush layers of blackberry, plum, and pepper, brushed with floral tones from the Viognier and savory nuances from the Grenache. The overall experience is rich, complex, and deeply aromatic.

Mouthfeel
Full-bodied yet elegantly structured. Fine-grained tannins and precise acidity make it both powerful and graceful, with a refined and resonant finish.

Winemaking Notes
Crafted with a portion of whole-cluster Syrah from John Sebastiano, co-fermented with its supporting varieties. The wine is vinified on native yeasts and aged extensively in seasoned and new French oak, allowing for depth and integration.   

Food Pairing
A powerful match for hearty fare like grilled lamb, wild mushroom ragout, or grilled vegetables with bold sauces. Its composed intensity pairs beautifully with impactful flavors.

Verdict
Sanguis “Bossman” Syrah 2021 is a commanding yet nuanced red—richly concentrated and impeccably balanced. It’s a stellar showcase of Syrah’s potential when guided by both artistry and terroir. Cheers!
— 10 months ago

Ted and Andrew liked this

Dierberg

Santa Maria Valley Chardonnay 2020

Medium lemon color, aromas of stone and citrus fruits with floral and mineral notes,
aged for 15 months in 64% new oak, rest in neutral oak. On the palate flavors of apple and pear with citrus wrapped in a nutty texture. Medium+ finish, lively acidity, ending with fruit, spice and savory citrus character.
— 2 years ago

Tom and Paul liked this

Presqu'ile Winery

Presqu'ile Vineyard Pinot Noir 2019

Entry-level Pinot Noir from vineyards in Santa Maria Valley. Aged for 11 months in French oak and 6 months in stainless steel. Very beautiful nose with aromas of red fruit (raspberry, cherry), floral and dusty, earthy notes. Light to medium-bodied, tart red fruit on the palate. Very high acidity — 5 years ago

Mike and Bob liked this

The Ojai Vineyard

Special Bottling Solomon Hills Vineyard Syrah 2014

Golden and Opal apples, Bartlett pear, lemon zest, red grapefruit in the bouquet. Tart green apple, buttered toast, lemon pith, white peach, soft notes of zesty ginger gives a nice zippiness on the finish along side hints of almond oil on a medium length finish. Strong lemony yellow color with a rich, opulent yet refreshing mouthfeel with a pleasant linger. Great white wine — 5 years ago

Neil and David liked this

Wild Horse Winery & Vineyards

Cheval Sauvage Santa Maria Valley Pinot Noir 2014

This was a sneaky ghosted wedding gift. Pretty nose with ripe cherries, candied plums, pork loin, earl gray tea, potpourri, dark chocolate shavings, graphite, and ash. Mid-palate is juicy, fleshy and bright. The finish shows creamy red fruits centered in minerality and earth. You can grab this at $19.99, which is a steal for a quality Santa Maria Valley Pinot Noir. Cheers! — 7 years ago

Dana Dungan
with Dana
"Odedi", Paul and 7 others liked this
Jeffrey G

Jeffrey G

Curious where you found this for $20
Neal Schaffer

Neal Schaffer

@Jeffrey G I found it at a Pennsylvania Fine Wine and Good Spirits near me. It’s on sale!
Jeffrey G

Jeffrey G

Very good find, buy more if you can, it will age well (for a pinot) as well.

Castelnuovo Dell'Abate

La Colombina di Caselli Anna Maria Brunello di Montalcino Sangiovese 2012

Really good but just a tiny bit too alcoholic to be great; I’m betting it will get there in a few years. Pottery and car leather along with burning sandalwood make up the gorgeous nose. Had it with a meat ragu and even used some to make the sauce. — 8 years ago