Our Producers
Ranchos de Ontiveros
Ranchos de Ontiveros makes Chardonnay, Pinot Noir and Bordeaux blends from three Ontiveros family vineyards in Santa Barbara County, farmed by a family that has owned land here since 1837.
A family that’s owned land in Santa Barbara County since 1837 has a lot of stories to tell. Holding on to land in California was no easy feat through gold rushes, land grants, agricultural booms, the Great Depression, Prohibition and the railroads, all of which could hinder or help a family’s survival living off of the land. But the Ontiveros family, nine generations strong, has seen it all and farmed its way through the ups and downs. Farming isn’t new to them, but wine is, relatively speaking: their first vineyard, Rancho Viñedo, was planted in 1973. Twenty years later, the Native9 vineyards were planted around the farmhouse James Ontiveros grew up in -- a great place for Pinot Noir and Chardonnay to thrive on the windswept slopes of the western Santa Maria Valley. A final acquisition just northwest of Happy Canyon provided a site for Bordeaux varietals. All that was left was to find a winemaker talented enough to show off these sites, so in 2016 Justin Willett of Tyler Winery fame came on board, and the rest is history.
Wes Hagen is another local star who joined the Ranchos de Ontiveros team in 2022 as wine educator -- or as we refer to him the "wine ambassador" to Santa Barbara County wines. Formerly the winemaker for his family's Clos Pepe winery, Wes is also highly respected for his efforts in defining the boundaries of several AVAs within the county, starting first with Sta. Rita Hills AVA. His wealth of knowledge about the wines and vineyards of the region is unmatched -- he's truly a walking encyclopedia!
THE VINEYARDS
Ranchos de Ontiveros is made up of three distinct Santa Barbara County sites. The oldest, Rancho Viñedo, planted directly across the street from the entrance to the Bien Nacido gatehouse, lies in marine and alluvial sands. Old-vine Wente clone Chardonnay, some of the oldest in the county, shows its rich character here. Vines planted 20 years later in Native9’s sandy loam add rusticity to the blends, while similar soil 20 miles southeast at the warmer Riata Oaks vineyard (part of the old Cañada de los Pinos land grant) lends unusual character to the Bordeaux blends, particularly an ancho chili note that’s surprisingly elegant.
WHAT'S IN THE
GLASS
Classic wines of impeccable character are what you can expect from a Ranchos de Ontiveros bottling. When one of California’s great farmers comes together with one of Santa Barbara County’s great winemakers, the result is a wine that shows every shade of a variety, from aroma to front and back palate.
VISIT
We've made a rare exception to pour wines outside of Sta. Rita Hills, but it's an honor representing one of California’s oldest farming families is one of the best wine producers in the Santa Maria Valley, our neighbors to the north. These single vineyard, old-vine Chardonnays and Pinots are likely to grace our Reserve Flight, and you'll usually find us pouring some of their finely aged bottles.
