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Groups of 8 or more MUST make an appointment.
Our tasting fee is $10 and features a minimum of 6 wines. We produce both still and sparkling wines, and offer a selection of gourmet cheeses, crackers, and charcuterie in our tasting room. Your picnic awaits you!
Private Events at Riverbench
Our facility is available for private events. Please contact us for more information.
In the Vineyard
Harvest wrapped up for the vineyard crew on October 19th this year. Overall yields were some of the lowest we have ever experienced at Riverbench, as with many other vineyards in the Santa Maria Valley. The exceptionally cool springs and summers in 2010 and 2011 contributed to the low number of clusters per vine and the few small berries per cluster. In grape growing the weather is something we cannot control, and although we try to prepare and plan for these conditions, no one forsaw this type of weather two years in a row.
There are, however, some benefits to these conditions: the long growing season and the small berries both result in intense and complex wines. We are seeing great color and quality, proving that maturity and ripeness during the harvest have paid off.
-Jim Stollberg, Vineyard Manager