Historic Sanford & Benedict is the original Pinot Noir vineyard (est. 1971) in the Santa Ynez Valley (Sta. Rita Hills was not established until 2001). We purchase fruit here from two distinct blocks of older vines (1999) and oldest vines (1972), buying by the acre so we may employ specialized pruning and organic farming practices. These stately vines stand tall on their enormous trunks, while still producing a solid crop of beautifully concentrated grapes. The resulting wines display sappy red and black cherry fruits with old-vine style and grace. The 2022 wine showcases the old vine elegance of S&B. The vineyard, with its thick trunks and deep roots, heroically withstood the massive 7-day heat dome of Labor Day 2022, with only minor effect. The wine maintains its typical smooth red fruited character, with perhaps a little more fruit in 2022, but with perfectly balanced acidity. This wine is a worthy successor to the 2021, which received 96 points from Antonio Galloni who called the wine “gorgeous,” “beguiling” and “a wine of dimension and intensity.“