There is a goat on the label and a wink in the name, but do not let the whimsy fool you. Flying Goat Cellars is the work of winemaker Norm Yost, who has spent decades chasing one grape above all, Pinot Noir, in the cold ground of the Sta. Rita Hills.

Serious wine, light heart

Norm Yost founded Flying Goat Cellars around the turn of the millennium and set up in the Lompoc Wine Ghetto, the unglamorous industrial-park cluster that has long been home to the area’s best small producers. The focus is single-vineyard Pinot Noir, made in small lots that show off the differences between the cold sites of the Sta. Rita Hills and beyond. Yost also has a genuine love of traditional-method sparkling wine, bottled under the irresistible name Goat Bubbles, a rarity that has earned the winery a devoted following.

The wines

Flying Goat is built on bright, savory, site-driven Pinot Noir, joined by the Goat Bubbles sparkling wines made the slow Champagne way, and the occasional Pinot Gris or other small-lot bottling. The wines are precise and food-friendly, with the energy that the cold appellation gives them.

What to drink it with

The Pinot Noir is a natural with grilled salmon, seared duck, or mushrooms, meeting the earth of the dish on the same savory note. And the Goat Bubbles sparkling is one of the most versatile wines you can pour, a classic with oysters and fresh shellfish, and even better with something fried, where the bubbles and bracing acidity scrub the fat and reset the palate.

Plan your visit

Flying Goat pours in the Lompoc Wine Ghetto, the laid-back heart of Sta. Rita Hills winemaking, often with the winemaker close at hand. Reservations are recommended on weekends.

Frequently asked questions