Our Vineyards
Discover the heart of Santa Barbara Wine Country through our vineyards. Explore the unique terroir that nurtures our low-intervention wines.
Lumen Vineyards
Wild King Vineyard
Wild King Vineyard lies immediately to the east of Solomon Hills Vineyard and to the west of The Warner Henry Vineyard and Presqu’ile Vineyard, and is the first producing estate vineyard of Lumen. The vineyard was planted by Doug King in 2007, entirely to Pinot Noir. The soils are sand which runs very deep, consisting mostly of the ‘Marina Formation,’ which is a reddish sand that was once a beachside sand dune. During the growing season, mornings are generally foggy and cold, followed by breezy afternoons that keep temperatures down and serve to air-dry the fruit.
Elevation: 764 feet
Farming: Certified Organic
Soil: Sand (Marina Formation)
Distance to Pacific Ocean: 13 miles
Warner Henry Vineyard
The Warner Henry Vineyard was planted in 2021, and was named after Will’s late father, the wine-industry legend who founded The Henry Wine Group in the 1980’s. This five-acre, hilltop vineyard site lies directly between Presqu’ile Vineyard and Lumen’s Wild King Vineyard.
The vineyard was planted almost entirely to Pinot Noir, consisting of the following clones: 667, 115, Mt Eden, 23 and 828. More than half of the vineyard is own-rooted. In 2022, Will planted about an acre of Ruché, after a visit from old friend Randall Grahm, who suggested the future success of the varietal. Randall told Will, “Ruché tastes like Pinot Noir and Nebbiolo had sex, and they have a promiscuous daughter named Ruché.” That sounded good to us, and a few months later, Ruché vines went into the ground. To get on the list to purchase wines from The Warner Henry Vineyard, Join the Lumen Wine Club.
Elevation: 875 feet
Farming: Certified Organic
Soil: Sand (Marina and Arnold Formations)
Distance to Pacific Ocean: 13 miles
Other Vineyards We Source From
Sierra Madre Vineyard
Sierra Madre remains one of the valley’s closest plantings to the cool waters of the Pacific Ocean. With sandy soils and gentle slopes, it is planted primarily to Pinot Noir, with smaller amounts of Chardonnay, Pinot Gris and Pinot Blanc. Planted in 1971 and owned for a period of time by the Mondavi family, it remains one of the oldest vineyard sites in the region.
Sierra Madre has been Lane’s favorite vineyard since the 1980’s, when she began making single vineyard Pinot Noir under the Hitching Post label. Lane’s intimate knowledge of the best blocks and clones has been a godsend; no one knows the intricacies of this fickle vineyard better than she.
Elevation: 404 feet
Farming: Certified Sustainable (SIP)
Soil: Sandy Loam
Distance to Pacific Ocean: 14 miles
Goodchild Vineyard
This little-known vineyard was planted by Louie Lucas in the late 1970’s, and boasts some of the oldest chardonnay vines in the region. We asked Louie which clone he planted back then and he couldn’t remember. “I got it from UC Davis,” was the biggest clue he could offer. A little sleuthing led to our realization that it is likely the original Wente clone. Goodchild produces our favorite Chardonnay, anywhere, any time.
Elevation: 469 feet
Farming: Practicing Sustainable
Soil: Alluvial
Distance to Pacific Ocean: 19 miles
Presqu’ile Vineyard
Presqu’ile Vineyard is located just two miles south of Sierra Madre near the town of Orcutt, on the western side of the Santa Maria Valley. Planted in 2009 by the Murphy family, it is quickly becoming known for its distinctive Pinot Noirs. With deep sandy soils and rolling hills, in combination with the region’s typically cool climate, the vineyard has become a fast favorite of many of the area’s top winemakers, including Ernst Storm and Drake Whitcraft.
The wines are more masculine in style, with deep color and fruit flavors that are accented by spice and savory notes.
Elevation: 865 feet
Farming: Organic
Soil: Sand
Distance to Pacific Ocean: 14 miles
Sanford & Benedict Vineyard
One of the most iconic vineyards in our region, S&B was planted in 1971 by Richard Sanford and Michael Benedict, who were searching what was then a completely unknown wine-growing region, hoping to find a climate in California that could produce world-class Pinot Noir. Their first commercial release in 1976 blew the socks off the critics, and spurred an entire movement, not to mention one of the best-known AVA’s in our state: the Sta Rita Hills.
Elevation: 408 feet
Farming: Conventional
Soil: Limestone, shale, loam
Distance to Pacific Ocean: 17 miles
Martian Ranch
Martian Ranch is located in Alisos Canyon, close to the town of Los Alamos (and hence to Lumen’s tasting room and Pico Restaurant in the Los Alamos General Store). The Los Alamos Valley boasts slightly warmer days and cooler nights than the nearby Santa Maria Valley, and has been planted predominantly to Rhone varietals.
Elevation: 1013 feet
Farming: Certified Biodynamic
Distance to Pacific Ocean: 24 miles
Julia’s Vineyard
Julia’s Vineyard was planted in 1971 by Louis Lucas as part of the original Rancho Sisquoc planting. Today these gnarled, own-rooted vines are the only surviving remnants of Louis’ original planting. Lane began sourcing from Julia’s in the early 1990’s, and the results were stunning.
These 50-year-old vines are still thriving despite their advanced age, and producing some of the best Pinot Noir fruit in the Santa Maria Valley.
Elevation: 448 feet
Farming: Certified Sustainable (SIP)
Soil: Alluvial
Distance to Pacific Ocean: 19 miles