On the Santa Maria Bench, where the Sisquoc River carved an old terrace and the Pacific fog never quite lifts, sits one of the valley’s original vineyards. Riverbench was planted in 1973, and for decades its fruit was a secret weapon for other famous labels. Now it speaks for itself.

An original vineyard finds its voice

Few vineyards in Santa Barbara County are as old or as well sited as Riverbench. Planted in 1973 on the cool, sandy bench above the river, it spent years selling its prized Pinot Noir and Chardonnay to some of California’s best producers before becoming its own estate label. The philosophy is refreshingly humble: cool ocean breezes, sustainable farming, French oak used with restraint, and, as the winery puts it, letting the wine be.

What truly sets Riverbench apart is sparkling wine. While most of the valley chases still Pinot and Chardonnay, Riverbench has built a reputation as one of the county’s leading houses for traditional-method bubbles, made the slow Champagne way, including its well-loved Cork Jumper, Blanc de Blancs, and a rare sparkling Pinot Meunier.

A 1973 vineyard, a Champagne sensibility, and the patience to let great fruit be itself.

The wines

The sparkling wines are the calling card, crisp, mineral, and built on that cold Santa Maria fruit. But the estate Chardonnay, like the Chapel View bottling, is taut and stony, and the estate Pinot Noirs, including the Pommard and One Palm, are bright and savory in the Santa Maria style. Across the board, these are wines of energy rather than weight.

Riverbench was first planted in 1973 on the bench above the Sisquoc River, making it one of the Santa Maria Valley’s original vineyards. For its first decades the estate sold fruit to other respected wineries before launching its own label, and in 2023 it marked fifty years on the bench. The tasting room is a restored 1920s craftsman house set among the vines, with a garden built for a wine-country picnic.

The house style favors finesse over weight. Estate Pinot Noir and Chardonnay are fermented and aged in French oak to lift the fruit rather than bury it, and in 2008 Riverbench added traditional-method sparkling wine, which has become one of its calling cards. A full sparkling flight is part of what makes a visit here different from the Pinot-and-Chardonnay routine of the rest of the valley.

Today you can taste Riverbench in two places: the original craftsman room out on the Foxen Canyon Wine Trail, and a second tasting room in downtown Santa Barbara on Anacapa Street, handy if you are staying in town rather than driving wine country.

What to drink it with

The traditional-method sparkling is one of the most versatile wines you can pour: it is a classic with oysters and fresh shellfish, and it is even better with something fried, where the bubbles and bracing acidity scrub the fat and reset your palate with every sip. The estate Chardonnay loves Dungeness crab, and the Pinot Noir is a natural with grilled salmon or seared duck.

Plan your visit

Riverbench pours in a restored farmhouse on its estate along Foxen Canyon Road in the Santa Maria Valley, surrounded by the historic vines, and also at a tasting room in downtown Santa Barbara. The estate, with a glass of bubbles on the porch, is the one to plan around.

Frequently asked questions