Some people find wine. Wine found Larry Schaffer. After a career in textbook publishing, he walked away to make Rhone wine in the Santa Ynez Valley, and named the label Tercero, Spanish for third, a nod to being a third child and to his third act in life.

A self-taught Rhone obsessive

Tercero is a Rhone house, full stop. Schaffer works almost entirely with the grapes of France’s Rhone Valley, the reds Grenache, Syrah, Mourvedre, and Cinsault, and the whites Grenache Blanc, Roussanne, and Viognier, sourced from some of Santa Barbara’s finest Rhone vineyards, including the well-known Camp 4 and Larner sites. The wines are made in small lots with a light hand, built for the table rather than the score sheet. And Schaffer himself is part of the appeal: one of the region’s most generous and approachable winemakers, as likely to be behind the tasting bar pouring as he is in the cellar.

He left the textbooks behind to write his own chapter, one Rhone grape at a time.

The wines

Tercero gives you the full sweep of the Rhone family in one place, which is rare. The Grenache and Syrah are savory and bright rather than heavy, the blends are honest and food-friendly, and the white Rhones, especially the Grenache Blanc and Roussanne, are some of the most interesting whites in the valley. There is also a serious rose and the occasional fun, off-the-beaten-path bottling.

What to drink it with

The Grenache loves roast pork, duck, or a mushroom dish, while the Syrah is built for Santa Maria tri-tip or grilled lamb, its pepper meeting the char. The white Rhones, full but gently aromatic, are naturals with roast chicken, pork loin, or a richer fish, and the rose is made for charcuterie and a sunny afternoon.

Plan your visit

Tercero pours in the village of Los Olivos, an easy walk among the town’s tasting rooms. If you care about Rhone wines, or you just want to talk wine with someone who clearly loves it, this is one of the best stops in the valley.

Frequently asked questions