Pinot, Chardonnay and Syrah from California's Central Coast
53 bottles, from the Santa Cruz Mountains to the Sta. Rita HillsA taut Pinot Noir, a Chardonnay that keeps its freshness, a collector's Syrah: that is what the Californian coast gives when the valleys open onto the Pacific. The morning fog and the afternoon wind slow ripening down and preserve the acidity.
Here you will find the limestone of Calera, the Burgundian Pinots of Au Bon Climat, the old vines of Birichino and the blends of Sine Qua Non.
Birichino - Saint Georges Zinfandel 2024
A zinfandel from old vines over 90 years old, of incredible complexity and freshness!
Birichino - Saint Georges Pinot Noir 2023
A superb Californian Pinot noir, made with finesse, freshness and deliciousness
Au Bon Climat - Sanford & Benedict Pinot Noir 2021
A precise and profound cool-climate California Pinot Noir that marries aromatic elegance with a silky texture.
Birichino - Rodnick Farm Pinot Noir 2022
A Pinot Noir from an exceptional terroir nestled in the Gabilan Mountains
Au Bon Climat - Isabelle Pinot Noir 2021
A cool-climate Californian Pinot Noir, combining aromatic finesse, balance, and depth.
The coastal valleys, one by one
The Coast Ranges are cut through by valleys that let in the Pacific air: the more a valley opens to the west, the fresher the wine.
| Sub-region | Climate and soils | A bottle to taste |
|---|---|---|
| Santa Cruz Mountains | The first appellation defined by its topography (1981). Vines above the fog, red fruit and mountain herbs. | Birichino Saint Georges Pinot Noir 2022€43 per bottle, in packs of 3 |
| Mount Harlan | Gavilan Range, around 670 m. A limestone that is rare in California, chosen by Josh Jensen. Pinots for ageing. | Calera Jensen Pinot Noir 2020€129.60 per bottle |
| Chalone | Neighbouring plateau, at around 550 m, decomposed granite over limestone. Highly aromatic Pinots. | Birichino Rodnick Farm Pinot Noir 2021€63 per bottle |
| Monterey and Santa Lucia Highlands | Every afternoon the Salinas Valley draws in the wind from the bay. Juicy Pinot and Chardonnay. | Hahn Pinot Noir 2021€23.50 per bottle, by the case of 6 |
| Paso Robles | The hottest sector, far from the ocean, with cold nights. Cabernet, Zinfandel and Rhône varieties. | Coppola Diamond Paso Robles Cabernet Sauvignon 2019€28.90 per bottle, by the case of 6 |
| Edna Valley | San Luis Obispo valley opening onto Morro Bay, one of the coolest in the state. | Chamisal SLO Chardonnay 2021€29.80 per bottle, by the case of 6 |
| Santa Maria Valley | East–west valley, fog until midday, sands and silts. The cradle of the county's Pinot. | Au Bon Climat La Bauge au-dessus 2021€59.80 per bottle, in packs of 2 |
| Sta. Rita Hills | Between Lompoc and Buellton, the windiest corridor. Sanford & Benedict has been planted here since 1971. | Au Bon Climat Sanford & Benedict Pinot Noir 2021€77 per bottle, in packs of 2 |
| Ventura | The Sine Qua Non winery. Its grapes come from its own vineyards in Santa Barbara County, including Eleven Confessions. | Sine Qua Non Distenta IV Syrah 2022€380 per bottle |
The estates and how they read the coast
From Burgundian-style Pinot to the great Rhône blend, the name of the estate often tells you more than the valley.
| Domain | Key facts | Style | Where to start |
|---|---|---|---|
| Au Bon Climat | Founded in 1982 by Jim Clendenen in the Santa Maria Valley. | Burgundian style: moderate alcohol, lively acidity, French oak barrels. | Santa Barbara Chardonnay 2023€39.50 per bottle, in packs of 3 |
| Calera | Josh Jensen planted Mount Harlan in 1975, drawn by the limestone. | Pinot vinified plot by plot (Jensen, Mills, Ryan, de Villiers), built for ageing. | Calera Pinot Noir 2018€39.60 per bottle, Central Coast cuvée |
| Indispensable | Manfred and Elaine Krankl, Ventura, 1994. | Grenache and Syrah blends, with a new name and label for each vintage. | Distenta III Grenache 2021€380 per bottle |
| Mischievous | Alex Krause and John Locke, Santa Cruz, 2008. | Old vines, native yeasts, old barrels: fragrant reds. | Besson Grenache 2023€49 per bottle, in packs of 2 |
| Hahn | Nicky Hahn, Santa Lucia Highlands, a rooster on the label. | Classic Monterey grape varieties, from Pinot to Cabernet. | Smith & Hook Cabernet Sauvignon 2020€39 per bottle, in packs of 3 |
| Chamisal | The first vineyard planted in the Edna Valley, in 1973. | Pinot and Chardonnay marked by the sea air, measured oak. | SLO Pinot Noir 2021€37.80 per bottle, in packs of 3 |
| Gladiator Cycles | A Hahn family brand, recognisable by its Belle Époque label. | Everyday wines, round and fruity. | Cycles Gladiator Chardonnay 2022€20.40 per bottle, by the case of 6 |
| Shadow Point | Delicato Wines and Alex Gittins, in Monterey. | A lively, juicy Pinot Noir to discover the coastal style at a modest price. | Shadow Point Pinot Noir 2019€16.50 per bottle, by the case of 6 |
Find portraits of other producers on our wine estates page.
A bottle from the coast for every mood
Start from an occasion or a dish, and the right valley follows.
A Santa Barbara Pinot for ageing
Au Bon Climat's best Pinot plots, aged Burgundy-style, for a fillet of duck.
Au Bon Climat Isabelle Pinot Noir 2021 · €96 per bottle, in packs of 2A taut Chardonnay from a great vineyard
The wind of the Sta. Rita Hills gives a precise, saline Chardonnay, for turbot or lobster.
Au Bon Climat Sanford & Benedict Chardonnay 2022 · €79 per bottle, in packs of 2Taste the limestone of Mount Harlan
A single-plot Pinot, flowers, spice and a mineral streak, worth waiting a few years for, then serving with pigeon.
Calera Ryan Pinot Noir 2018 · €99.60 per bottleA red in the Rhône Rangers style
Carignan, Grenache and Mourvèdre from vines nearly a hundred years old: pale colour and red fruit, for a barbecue.
Birichino Scylla 2023 · €38 per bottle, €37 in packs of 3A fresh, easy-drinking Zinfandel
Vines from 1922 at the foot of the Santa Cruz Mountains, a Zinfandel with the body of a Pinot, for spicy food.
Birichino Saint Georges Zinfandel 2021 · €42 per bottle, in packs of 3An everyday red for under €25
A Monterey Cabernet with ripe black fruit and supple oak, for a burger or a barbecue.
Hahn Cabernet Sauvignon 2020 · €23.50 per bottle, by the case of 6A Chardonnay sold by the bottle
Green apple and almond: Calera's Chardonnay is sold by the bottle, for poultry in a cream sauce.
Calera Chardonnay 2020 · €36 per bottleA Sine Qua Non for collectors
Manfred Krankl's Grenache, ripe fruit and a spicy frame, made in tiny quantities, for long ageing.
Sine Qua Non Distenta IV Grenache 2022 · €380 per bottle
Why the coast gives fresh wines
Almost everywhere on the American West Coast, the mountains run north to south and shield the land from the ocean. Between Monterey and Santa Barbara, several valleys run west to east and let the marine air through. Fog in the morning, sunshine around midday, cool wind in the afternoon.
The vines ripen slowly, sometimes into November. Pinot Noir and Chardonnay find the freshness they seek in Burgundy, and Rhône varieties gain tension. Further inland, Paso Robles regains the warmth suited to Cabernet and Zinfandel.
How do you choose
The team tastes every wine before adding it to the range. It picks estates whose style is consistent from one vintage to the next, single-plot cuvées when the terroir shows in the glass, and affordable everyday bottles. To compare, see our Pinot Noir range from all countries.
The Wine Wanderer Team
What we are asked about the Central Coast
What is the Central Coast in California?
It is the coastal strip running from San Francisco Bay to Santa Barbara County, over nearly 400 km: Santa Cruz Mountains, Monterey, Paso Robles, Edna Valley, Santa Maria Valley, Sta. Rita Hills. What they share is the Pacific, which cools the vines. To place the region, see the California page.
What is the difference between a Central Coast Pinot and a Sonoma Pinot?
Both benefit from the marine fog. In Santa Barbara, the valleys open directly onto the ocean and the wind blows harder: the Pinots there are often tauter, with notes of spice and herbs. Sonoma produces fleshier Pinots in the Russian River. Compare with the Sonoma page.
Why is Calera based on Mount Harlan?
Josh Jensen was looking for limestone, the soil of the great Pinots of Burgundy, and found it in 1975 in the Gavilan Range, at around 670 m. Calera means lime kiln. Each plot on the mountain is vinified separately. The Calera Mills Pinot Noir 2018 costs €99.60 a bottle.
Who was Jim Clendenen?
The founder of Au Bon Climat, in 1982, in the Santa Maria Valley. Trained in Burgundy, he championed moderate-alcohol, high-acid Pinots and Chardonnays when California was chasing power. The Santa Barbara Chardonnay 2023 costs €39.50 a bottle, in a lot of 3.
Why are Sine Qua Non wines so expensive?
Manfred Krankl has been producing tiny volumes in Ventura since 1994, and his wines are sold first through a waiting list. Each vintage bears a new name and label, which makes them collector's items. The Distenta Grenaches and Syrahs are available here at €380 a bottle, like the Distenta III Syrah 2021.
Who are the Rhône Rangers?
Californian winemakers who, in the 1980s, planted Syrah, Grenache, Mourvèdre and Viognier rather than the Bordeaux varieties. The Central Coast is their heartland. Birichino, with its old Grenache and Carignan vines, and Sine Qua Non, with its blends, are two of their heirs. See the Grenache page.
Which Central Coast wine should you choose for under €25?
The Shadow Point Pinot Noir 2019 from Monterey costs €16.50 a bottle, in cases of 6. At Hahn, the Pinot Noir and Cabernet Sauvignon are €23.50 a bottle, in cases of 6. The Cycles Gladiator Chardonnay is €20.40 a bottle, also in cases of 6.
What food goes with a Santa Barbara Pinot Noir?
Its freshness and spicy notes call for roast poultry, duck or mushrooms, served at 15–16 °C. To get started, the Coppola Diamond Santa Barbara County Pinot Noir 2021 costs €28.90 a bottle, in cases of 6; Au Bon Climat's Knox Alexander 2020, €92 a bottle in a lot of 2.