Sanford Winery

What Sanford Winery does

Sanford Winery is a privately-held estate winery founded in 1971 in Santa Barbara County, California, currently owned through Terlato Wine Group Ltd. It produces premium still and sparkling wines — principally Pinot Noir and Chardonnay, with sparkling and rosé programs — from two contiguous estate vineyards in the Sta. Rita Hills AVA: the original Sanford & Benedict Vineyard (planted 1971, 51 acres of original own-rooted Pinot Noir, the oldest in the county) and the adjacent La Rinconada Vineyard (planted 1997). The two ranches total roughly 1,200 acres of which ~262 acres are planted across 40+ separately-farmed blocks using 23+ Pinot Noir and Chardonnay clones, and the production facility uses a gravity-flow system of four 30,000-gallon tanks inside a 30-inch-thick adobe-brick winery tower completed in 2001.

The winery sells primarily through direct-to-consumer channels: an e-commerce storefront on the Vin65 platform, a tiered wine club subscription (Vista Club: 4-, 8-, or 12-bottle shipments three times a year at $230–$870 per shipment, with a required one-year commitment and discounts of up to 25% on current releases), and estate experiences at the Lompoc tasting room priced $40–$150 per person. Wholesale distribution to restaurants and retailers is operated through the broader Terlato portfolio. Products are priced from $32 (rosé) to $110 (single-vineyard Pinot Noir), with magnums and curated gift sets priced up to $310.

Customers are predominantly long-tail individual wine enthusiasts, collectors, and gift purchasers, segmented into wine club members (recurring revenue), tasting-room visitors, and trade/wholesale buyers. Shipping is offered to most U.S. states with exemptions in 10 jurisdictions where direct-to-consumer alcohol shipping is restricted. Pricing, hospitality, and storytelling are anchored to Sanford's role as a founding estate of the Sta. Rita Hills AVA; brand recognition is supported by critical coverage including a 90-point Robert Parker Wine Advocate score for the 2022 Sta. Rita Hills Pinot Noir and trade press features describing Sanford as "Sta. Rita Hills' Pinot Noir Pioneer."

Name

Sanford Winery

Legal name

Sanford Winery

Website

https://sanfordwinery.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

1971

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

Sanford Winery is a privately-held Santa Barbara County estate winery producing Pinot Noir, Chardonnay, sparkling, and rosé wines from its historic Sanford & Benedict and La Rinconada vineyards in the Sta. Rita Hills AVA. It sells direct-to-consumer via e-commerce, the Vista Club wine club, and estate tastings under Terlato Wine Group ownership.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Estate Winery (Premium Pinot Noir & Chardonnay)

NAICS

Wineries (312130), Grape Vineyards (111332), Beer, Wine, and Liquor Retailers (445320)

SIC

Beverages (2080), Wholesale-Beer, Wine & Distilled Alcoholic Beverages (5180)

akta.pro primary industry

Wine & Sparkling Wine Wineries & Brands (CRADAIAB)

akta.pro secondary industries

Wineries & Vineyards (Tasting Rooms) (THAFALAE), Wine Tastings & Vineyard/Winery Tours (THAJAGAD), Premium, Rare & Collectible Alcohol Retail (Fine Wine/Spirits) (CRANAAAJ)

Keywords

• Estate winery
• Pinot Noir
• Chardonnay
• Wine club
• Sparkling wine

Headquarters

HQ city

Lompoc

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Hardware or Manufacturing

Cost components

Supply Chain, Operations, Personnel, Marketing or Sales, Infrastructure

Revenue model

1. Direct Wine Sales: Online sales through the Sanford Winery store, offering wines across multiple categories including Chardonnays, Pinot Noirs, Sparkling & Rosé wines, and Back Vintage & Library wines. Prices range from $32 for Rosé to $110 for premium Pinot Noirs.
2. Wine Club Memberships: Vista Club membership with three tiers (4, 8, and 12 bottles per shipment, three shipments per year in February, May, and October). Members receive discounts, complimentary shipping, estate tastings, and access to limited production wines.
3. Estate Tastings and Experiences: Revenue from on-site tasting experiences including Estate Tastings ($40/person), Parallel Vineyard Tasting ($75/person), Single Block Pinot Noir Tasting ($100/person), and ATV Vineyard Experience ($150/person).
4. Large Format Wines and Gift Sets: Sales of 1.5L magnum bottles and curated gift sets such as 'Two Vineyards, One Estate Wine Set' ($310) and 'The Art of Pinot Noir Gift Set' ($187).

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels7 records

Core offering

Sanford Winery is a privately held estate winery producing estate-grown Pinot Noir, Chardonnay, sparkling wines, and rosé from its two historic vineyards in the Sta. Rita Hills AVA of Santa Barbara County. Its commercial lineup spans single-vineyard and single-block designated bottles, large-format magnums, curated gift sets, expertly cellared library wines, plus a tri-annual subscription wine club (Vista Club) and tiered on-site tasting experiences (Estate, Parallel Vineyard, Single Block Pinot Noir, and ATV Vineyard).

Product overview

Sanford Winery is a pioneering estate winery in the Sta. Rita Hills AVA of Santa Barbara County, producing premium Pinot Noir, Chardonnay, sparkling wines, and rosé from its two iconic estate vineyards: Sanford & Benedict (planted 1971, home to the oldest Pinot Noir vines in the county) and La Rinconada (planted 1997). The winery offers its wines through direct-to-consumer sales via its e-commerce platform, complemented by estate tastings and a wine club membership program. Products span single vineyard and single block designated wines, large formats, library vintages, gift sets, and branded merchandise. The estate also offers in-person tasting experiences including vineyard tours and virtual tasting programs.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Vista Club: Wine club membership program offering tri-annual shipments of estate-grown wines with various membership tiers (4, 8, and 12 bottle options) and member benefits including discounts, complimentary tastings, and priority access to limited wines.

Products and services

• Estate Pinot Noir Wines Single-vineyard and single-block designated Pinot Noir selections from Sanford & Benedict, La Rinconada, Loma Alta, Block 5, Block 6, and Vista Al Rio vineyards, produced for wine enthusiasts and collectors seeking terroir-driven California Pinot Noir.
• Estate Chardonnay Wines Chardonnay selections including La Rinconada, La Entrada, Long Rows, and Sanford & Benedict vineyard-designated wines, crafted in a Burgundy-inspired style for individual wine consumers and collectors.
• Sparkling & Rosé Wines Sparkling wines (Blanc de Blancs, Blanc de Noirs, Brut Cuvée, Brut Rosé, Late Disgorged) and Rosé of Pinot Noir, aimed at consumers seeking sparkling and rosé options from Sanford's estate vineyards.
• Large Formats & Gift Sets 1.5L magnum bottles and curated wine gift sets including 'The Art of Pinot Noir Gift Set' and 'Two Vineyards, One Estate Wine Set', positioned for collectors and gift purchasers for personal and corporate occasions.
• Back Vintage & Library Wines Expertly cellared library wines from previous vintages, sold to collectors and enthusiasts seeking aged and mature Sanford wines not available through current releases.
• Vista Club Wine Club Membership Subscription wine club offering tri-annual shipments (4, 8, or 12 bottle tiers at $230–$870 per shipment) with member discounts, complimentary estate tastings, complimentary shipping on the 12-bottle tier, and priority access to limited production and library wines.
• Estate Tasting Experiences On-site tasting experiences at the Lompoc winery covering a standard Estate Tasting ($40/person), a comparative Parallel Vineyard Tasting ($75/person), the Single Block Pinot Noir Tasting ($100/person), and the All-Terrain Vineyard ATV Experience ($150/person); offered daily by appointment for wine tourism visitors and wine club members at discounted rates.
• Virtual Tasting Experiences Virtual, remotely hosted wine tasting sessions for consumers and corporate groups who cannot visit the Lompoc estate in person, conducted by Sanford Winery staff.
• Winery Merchandise Branded merchandise including the Sanford Men's Quarter Zip Jacket, Sanford Yeti Canteen, and Sanford Yeti Tumbler, sold through the winery e-commerce store to fans and visitors.

Quantifiable outcome

• Robert Parker Wine Advocate score of 90 points for 2022 Sta. Rita Hills Pinot Noir

Named customers1 record

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Integration4 records

Feature3 records

Partnerships

One partnership is on record.

• Terlato Wine GroupcoreOthersParent company ownership of Sanford Winery. Terlato Wine Group, led by the Terlato family with over 70 years in the wine industry, acquired Sanford in 2002 (became majority owners in 2005) and purchased back the Sanford & Benedict vineyard in 2007 to reunite the estate. Also owns sister wineries Chimney Rock Winery (Stags Leap District, Napa), Rutherford Hill Winery (Napa Valley), and Klipsun Vineyard (Red Mountain, WA). Wine club members receive 10-15% discounts at sister wineries.

Scale indicators6 records

Recent moves12 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• Tyler Winery: Sta. Rita Hills producer focused on Pinot Noir and Chardonnay from estate and contracted sites. Closely comparable in DTC model, premium pricing, and Burgundy-style winemaking philosophy.
• Chanin Wine Company: Sta. Rita Hills and Los Alamos Pinot Noir/Chardonnay producer focused on vineyard-designate wines. Comparable in small-lot, terroir-driven approach and direct sales emphasis.
• Brewer-Clifton: Sta. Rita Hills estate winery specializing in cool-climate Pinot Noir and Chardonnay from the same AVA. Comparable in focus on single-vineyard and block-designate bottlings and in DTC-driven premium positioning.
• Domaine de la Côte: Estate Pinot Noir producer in Sta. Rita Hills with vineyard-designate wines and a premium DTC program. Directly comparable in single-vineyard approach and Burgundy-inspired winemaking.
• Sea Smoke: Iconic Sta. Rita Hills Pinot Noir and Chardonnay estate with strong DTC mailing list and cult-status library wines. Comparable in ultra-premium pricing, mailing-list allocation model, and Sta. Rita Hills terroir story.
• Williams Selyem: Cult California Pinot Noir producer (Russian River Valley) with mailing-list allocation model and high-end tasting experiences. Comparable in DTC scarcity-driven pricing and Burgundy-style approach.
• Ken Wright Cellars: Willamette Valley, Oregon Pinot Noir producer focused on single-vineyard wines. Comparable in vineyard-designate DTC model, premium price points, and Burgundy varietal focus, though geographically distinct.
• Alma Rosa Winery & Vineyards: Sta. Rita Hills/Russian River Valley estate with Pinot Noir and Chardonnay focus. Comparable in estate-based DTC, premium tiering, and historical Santa Barbara County roots.

Broad incumbents

• Chimney Rock Winery: Stags Leap District (Napa Valley) estate and sister winery under Terlato Wine Group. Comparable as a Terlato-owned premium estate with DTC program and tasting experiences, though varietally focused on Cabernet Sauvignon rather than Pinot Noir.
• Au Bon Climat: Long-established Santa Barbara County Pinot Noir/Chardonnay producer. Comparable in Burgundy-inspired California winemaking and premium DTC positioning, with broader distribution scale.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/sanfordwinery
• Facebookfacebook.com/SanfordWinery
• Instagraminstagram.com/sanfordwinery

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles7 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Sanford Winery