My family has been members at Sanford for almost 25 years, so this review is long, long overdue. It's hard to put into words just how important Sanford has been to our family over the years. We've celebrated almost every major milestone here, and it has always felt like a second home. Watching the winery evolve while staying true to its roots has been incredible. One of the things we always loved about Sanford was the winemaking style under Steve Fennell. When Trey Fletcher took over, I'll admit we were a little hesitant. It's hard to see change at a place that means so much to you. But wow, Trey has absolutely won us over. The wines have evolved, but they still capture everything that makes Sta. Rita Hills special. There's a clear Burgundy influence, with thoughtful whole-cluster use that adds complexity and structure, but the wines never lose their sense of place. They still showcase the vibrant fruit, acidity, and character of the region while maintaining the backbone to age beautifully. Of course, great wine is only part of the story. The hospitality team has always been fantastic, and every visit feels warm and welcoming. Whether you've been coming for decades like we have or it's your first visit, Sanford has a way of making you feel at home. There are plenty of great wineries in the Sta. Rita Hills, but Sanford will always be the one that means the most to our family. Twenty-five years later, it still feels like home. read more

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When you find these cute hidden gems, you make sure to keep it safe. And also to share the experience with everyone. We had a reservation with some friends who had their wine back when they were married. As it was a first for all of us, it was very exciting to experience it with them. Mid week which was pretty quiet. Most of the wineries are during the weekdays. The property is off one of the back road from the main highway 246. Once you enter the property, you're greeted with a cute tasting room. Very cozy, a log cabin vibe with the fireplace and plush seating. Main tasting room but as it was beautiful out, we needed the experience outside. First off, Both Neil and Lynn were absolute dolls. They started us off with some crisp bubbly, perfect for the wether. Both were the sweetest and so easy to talk too. It was like we were already friends and popping over for a chat. During our experience, Lynn took over and made sure that we were here for an enjoyment. And let me say, it was AMAZING.... She was the funniest and sweetest person. Laughing and smiling while making sure that each and every tasting was explained and enjoyed. To add to the experience, a charcuterie board was served. The selection of cheese, meats and sides added to the tasting. Can't go wrong with it. Staring off with the reds, let's just say there were none that needed the dump bowl. Everything was so rich, bold and full body and flavorful. One after the other, the wines were excellent. And finishing off, it was the white. Normally you start with whites and work to the reds but their version, it was good. Bottle after bottle was amazing with each pour. The explanation of each was so helpful. Not only the wines but the properties was beautiful. The garden seating area with tables tucked in with the lush garden looking out to the vineyard. Then the wrap around patio with more seating. Also perfect for the chilly weather, the outdoor fireplace. It was beautiful as the leaves were changing to the nice rust and red and glistening from the sun. The whole experience was amazing. Both Neil and Lynn are magician in their work. The service was excellent, wines were outstanding, friendly staff which are like friends chit chatting with each other. It made everything worth it. To say we'll be back, that's something to really look forward to. The wines, excellent.... read more

My wife and I stopped in with family who are members. Lynn and Neil were tending the Tasting Bar taking great care of us! We truly enjoyed Lynn and her insights as to the history of the winery and her knowledge of the craft! We ended up walking out with five lovely bottles to enjoy! We truly loved the setting there and the views from their patio! Thank you for the great hospitality! read more

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Such an amazing place! Dan was our server and was so knowledgeable about the winery and the area! Amazing wines!! Great experience!! read more

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I just realized that I had this review sitting in my drafts for months with a few other reviews. What a shame. A beautiful winery in Lompoc, Ca. A place we love visiting every year. Sanford is one of the stops we make because of its scenic location and great wines. My favorites are the Sauvignon Blanc and the Pinot Noir. We always get bottles, sit outside and enjoy the views all around. Beautiful Relaxing Calming Amazing Always a great time here. read more

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We went on a last minute whim when we were driving to pismo. Off the beaten path and worth the drive. Amazing service by Connor who is an expert on wines. Totally charming vineyard with delicious wines. Their Pinot is good but amazing Chardonnays! Great place to spend a couple hours. Fireplace inside but sit outside! Dog friendly! A must and ask for Connor! He was charming and gave us exceptional service! A must! read more

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Wow, wow, wow! Wonderful experience at Sanford Winery! This is a beautiful winery tucked in the hills. We arrived at 11 and stayed until 5. Jason took care of us and he was phenomenal. From the moment we walked into the door he greeted us with a friendly smile as if he knew us. He allowed us to sit wherever we like and he shortly came out to greet us again. We got the estate flight and some charcuterie. The charcuterie was packaged to Covid standards and it was beautiful in its boxes. Jason came out with each bottle of wine and gave us a lovely history not just about the winery but the wine itself and showed us where everything to make the wine was sourced from on the property. He is extremely knowledgeable about the wines and can answer any question you have. Though I don't think you'll have any questions after he has talked about the wine as he's poured it for you. The winery is beautifully stunning from the inside seating area to the amazing outdoor patio area. You can come and play a game of cornhole while you sip, and an even bring your dog to accompany you as this winery is dog friendly. This was my first time here and definitely will not be my last. Everything was beautiful from the wine, to the charcuterie, to the beautiful views and friendly staff. Shout out to Jason for being amazing definitely ask for him when you go. read more

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We did the Sideways self-wine tour this past weekend. It was really hot, so we were inside and didn't get to gaze at the beautiful views while tasting. The service was good, yet slow. At times we had to probe for information about the wine. The tasting fee is fair for what you get. However the cost for the cheese plate or charcuterie is ridiculous. I appreciate that the winery has jars available for water... yet I saw them also handing out single use plastic bottled water which is odd. read more

Sanford Winery - Tasting menu, September - Wineries Near Me - Lompoc, California

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We stopped at Sanford on my birthday, as we were driving back to LA. It was a pleasant surprise! The location is beautiful and so peaceful. Their Pinots are scrumptious and the view is breathtaking on the patio! We were so well taken care of by the manager and our tasting waitress, they were so kind to us and took the time to talk and get to know us. They gave us a few pours that were not on the menu, when they found out we preferred reds and did not forget to honor my birthday with kindness too! Also, the best photo of our whole trip was at Sanford. Their vines are a lovely photo opportunity , amongst the singing birds and wildflowers. This winery offered a peace that none of the others did. Thank you for the birthday hospitality! read more

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I had a wonderful experience at Sanford Winery. Joann was simply the best--she explained everything about the wines and the winery. Connor was great too! What an amazing service and wine. They are 100% amazing! read more

Had the pleasure of visiting the tasting room with my mom recently. We were hosted by Chelsea, who was fantastic. She was knowledgeable and gave us the best service. Excited to visit again and will be sure to request Chelsea as our host to have another great experience. The estate was beautiful, with wonderful views. The wines were delicious. read more

Wine was good but the trip was memorable because of a genuinely nice guy who served us. Not the least pretentious unlike some other wineries. read more

Delightful day tasting one of the best Pinot's we have ever had. Sanford Winery is located in the beautiful Santa Rita hills. This winery is not only historic (starting in 1971) but is one of the pioneer wineries in Santa Barbara County. Hope, the tasting room manage set the stage with beautiful descriptions of each wine that including 3 pinots, 2 Chardonnay's, a rose and a little surprise bubbly. We loved sitting in site of the very vines that produce these exquisite wines. Make a reservation in advance. read more

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My wife and I decided to finally stop by to This beautiful winery. What a delightful time there ! sipping wines with view to the vineyard is hard to beat ! Our hostess Chelsea was very nice and instructive about the wines and make our time there very fun. We will be back and buy more wines ! read more

We stopped by on our way home for the holidays, and were so glad to be able to do a tasting and buy some last minute Christmas gifts! We enjoyed a bottle the tasting room attendant suggested for us for Christmas Eve and everyone in the family was very impressed! We look forward to stopping by again! read more

What beautiful views and scenery Sanford has. The property is situated and surrounded by rolling hills of grapevines and the buildings with an adobe appearance. Just breath taking. Our tasting started with Pinots and progressed to Chardonnays. I particularly loved the Rose of Pinot Noir and Loma Alta, which ended up going home with me at the end of the day. We were offered a tour of their venue site since a friend expressed interest in their offerings for weddings. If I were getting married again, this site is where I would revisit for a venue, JUST MAGICAL! The stairway for an entrance, the view of the hills, fire pit for s'mores, and so much more. Such a great place to spend the afternoon. read more

Sanford Winery - Otis enjoying the view - Wineries Near Me - Lompoc, California

I've been to Sanford on several occasions and always have the best time. The wine is some of the best in the area, the location is stunning, and the staff is incredibly knowledgeable. During our most recent trip my husband and I had Chelsey provide our tasting and she was so welcoming, informative, and professional. We will definitely be coming back and bringing friends and family to share the experience with! read more

Sanford Winery - Wine with a view! - Wineries Near Me - Lompoc, California

Our visit to Sanford Winery on May 17, 2025 was the absolute best tasting experience I have ever had. Lynne served the four of us, and was very knowledgeable about the wine, the vine plantings, and the soil and climate. I have been to many wineries over the years in Napa, Sonoma, Paso Robles, and others in Santa Barbara County. Lynne provided the most personable and enjoyable experience that I have ever had. We loved her sense of humor as well! The hills around the winery are beautiful, and the wine is wonderful. read more

Amazing wine and stunning scenery! I always love coming here to relax and enjoy the beautiful views. It's the perfect spot to unwind and savor each sip! read more

Wonderful wines in a beautiful location. Neil, our host, was extremely knowledgeable and helpful. A great way to spend the day

I can not wait to come back to Sanford! This picturesque winery is the perfect destination after a beautiful drive along the California coast. My friend and I had a reservation for two and our table was freshly set for our arrival complete with a gorgeous view of the vineyard and mountains. I really thought it couldn't get much better than that, but our incredible host for the day, George, delivered the warmest of welcomes for our first visit out. Every question we had (and there were many) was answered with kindness and enthusiasm. We could tell that everyone there is both very knowledgeable and passionate about the products and service they provide. I had a good run with Cabernet, but Sanford officially swayed me... Pinot Noir is my new favorite varietal! read more

Sanford Winery - Tasting menu - Wineries Near Me - Lompoc, California

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Glad we squeezed Sanford in on this trip. Always a relaxing time and the wines are great. We were happy to have Chelsey again this time and she remembered us which was impressive and made us feel very welcome! read more

We stopped here almost on a whim. The staff was beyond excellent. The wine tastes as if deities squeezed the grapes. The tasting room was comfortable and relaxing. If you only had time to visit one vineyard make it this one. read more

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Wonderful experience. For $30 we were able to try 6 different kinds of wine. The lady helping us was so friendly too. She even poured us a couple other wines that weren't on the tasting because we had mentioned different flavors and styles we liked. We ended up getting a bottle which got us one free tasting since we spent over $100. They mostly focus on Pinot noir (which were all amazing) but they did have a chardonnay and viognier that we got to try. They have some indoor seating but they have a huge outdoor patio that overlooks all the vines and land they own. Pretty nice view and it's all shaded so you don't get too hot. read more

I've waited several days since our visit, and I still feel offended by our experience. We were greeted nicely, but a blond fellow was excessively slow to serve us and appeared to sneak drinks for himself between pours. Eventually, I suggested to a different server (a dark haired fellow) that he serve us instead. He caught on immediately and took over our table. He was a nice enough guy, and we left the place at peace. When we got back to our motel, though, my wife checked her email and discovered that our bill had been DOUBLED and our tip had been TRIPLED. She called immediate and received a series of lame excuses. "We counted four glasses," when they knew very well that the tasting featured both whites and reds. They eventually acquiesced, but they refused to alter their self-prescribed tip. read more

This weekend was so beautiful and warm we headed up the 101 coastline and stopped at beautiful Sanford Winery for a tasting. We were greeted by George and began a delicious tasting for two! We were sat near a couple with the cutest mini golden doodle I really loved how dog friendly this location was! As we continued our tasting George did a fantastic job helping us through the arranged menu. He explained in detail all the tasting and surprised us at the end with a taste of a beautiful vintage wine. We left with a couple bottles for home... We can't wait to go back! read more

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I've been debating if I wanted to post this for a while but I visited the winery a couple months ago and the service I received may have been the worst I've ever received. My server Chelse was rude and when I asked her questions about the wine she responded as if it was an inconvenience for her to have to explain. I understand everybody has bad days but she was ridiculous. I was contemplating joining the club because I liked the wine but I don't want to support a business that has someone like that representing them. Sorry Sanford, maybe I'll try again in the future but for now I won't be back anytime soon. read more

We went to Sanford searching for great Pinot Noir's. We were not disappointed! My favorite was the 2018 Sanford & Benedict. It was mildly earthy and very smooth. Every wine we tried was excellent. We ended up joining! read more

Sanford Winery - Our empty glasses and the beautiful grounds! - Wineries Near Me - Lompoc, California

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My review is late - but want to comment on the ATV vineyard tour. Last fall my wife and I took the tour and had a wonderful time. It was fascinating to travel through the actual vineyards and learn more about the wine. And it was very enjoyable to also stop along the way and have a glass of wine while standing among the vineyards. The highlight of the event was our tour guide and driver - Melissa. She was wonderful! Full of knowledge and history and she really made it an interesting event. Later, when we asked for recommendations for restaurants and other tasting rooms - she took the time to write it down and provided wonderful suggestions. Thank you Melissa! I highly recommend visiting the Sanford Winery - which I believe is the most beautiful and comfortable tasting room for enjoying wine. read more

I've visited Sanford twice now with my wife, what a beautiful area! Was offered a variety of wines to try and loved the service and experience we had with our host, Chelsey. The tastings went so well and Chelsey told us so much about the wine, that we've since become wine club members. read more

The review is both for the winery overall and the ATV tour where the drive you around the vineyards tasting. First, the drive out to this place is worth it anytime. The winery itself is beautiful and in a stunning setting. The tasting room is well done. While it's notionally by appointment only if you're willing to roll the dice, I did see them choose to let some folks in without reservations as it wasn't that busy. We had booked an ATV tour where *they* drive you around in ATV through the vineyards, stopping about 4-5 times along the way to enjoy the views, see the sights (e.g., a mineral spring, the original barn, the founder's rows) , and even taste some grapes of the vines while tasting the wine made from them. Cool. The tour was well done, our guide was great, and very much more fun and different than either the downtown tasting room experience or the normal vineyard tasting room and/our tour experience. I'd include it in your mix if you're coming down (or up if you're from Socal) for a wine tasting weekend. The cheese and charcuterie platters at the end were somewhat uninspiring (felt like very standard ingredients assembled into a plastic tray and refrigerated; not miles away from a Safeway cheese platter), but much needed after the wine. Tasting on the patio after the tour was very much enjoyed. read more

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Beautiful hidden gem for wine tasting while visiting Santa Ynez. The property and view are amazing and right next to you to feel free to wander through. The wines are great my only issue with this place is that they wouldn't let me buy a glass to continue to enjoy during my visit. They said due to Covid times were restricted so they could accommodate other guests but I looked around and more than half the tables were empty and continued to be empty. I get it if you have a lot of people or reservations but seeing the tables continue to be unoccupied I just didn't get it. I even offered to buy my own bottle to open as I love their Chardonnay's. Overall great spot, super safe with Covid measures, not the cleanest or stocked bathroom but we were there for the wine so that didn't stop us. read more

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I visited the winery back in December with my friend and her mom, great wine and great views our wine server Chelsey was alittle condescending when trying to teach me (a new wine drinker ) about wine, we would of left with a wine club membership but instead left with a couple bottles because "I needed to learn more about wine before coming tasting". I'm really upset because it was a beautiful property and the wine was really good but I don't think any of us will be returning due to the service we received. read more

Some friends suggested that we visit Sanford for some wine tasting and I'm really glad we did! When we arrived the guide took us around so we could see their lovely vineyard. We then spent a very pleasant interlude tasting the wines. We enjoyed the tasting so much that we decided to join their wine club! read more

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My husband and I had the best time tasting here!! Wow! The wine was interesting, complex and delicious. The person who served us (Chelsea) was so great! She was fun, knowledgeable and a true expert about the wines! She had a way of making the info about the wines more engaging and interesting. Top notch service! Will definitely go back next time we're in the area. read more

Melissa, was a fantastic host during our stay. She took us on the ATV tour of the vineyard and was very knowledgeable of the history and vines throughout. Very sweet and friendly. read more

Sanford Winery - Wineries Near Me - Lompoc, California

While the feel has gotten a bit more "busy," maybe even "corporate," the wines are well made and the atmosphere just super relaxing. We loved the single block tasting; six single vineyard Pinot noirs, each one better than the next. The pourer was super sweet, but only a recent convert to wine and didn't have an in-depth knowledge yet. Still, sitting outside, with the breeze blowing and the sun shining, was close to perfection. Plus, as part of the movie Sideways, it's a neat stop. Definitely worth one visit. read more

Delicious wine and beautiful views. The service and atmosphere here are excellent. We can't wait to visit again. read more

Sanford Winery - Excellent wine and beautiful views - Wineries Near Me - Lompoc, California

A must go too if you in Lompoc. Super friendly and knowledgeable staff. The guy helping us was able to really explain everything , plenty of seating in the shade or in the sun. They even have games to play outside. Great views. The wine was good. read more

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Beautiful winery. Mostly Pinot Noirs in tasting. Service a bit slow but gorgeous setting.