Sommeliers of the American Riviera 2026 Happy Canyon of Santa Barbara Review Thanks to Santa Barbara County's east–west orientation, with the cold Pacific to the west and the rising sun to the east, the region is home to every grape growing climate on earth, all in the distance of about thirty miles. The American Viticultural Area (AVA) of Happy Canyon of Santa Barbara is located on the east side of the Santa Ynez Valley, approximately forty miles from the Pacific Ocean. It is Santa Barbara County's hottest AVA, seeing temperatures twenty to thirty degrees warmer on average than those of Santa Rita Hills, just twenty-five miles to the west, with a diurnal shift of forty to fifty degrees—optimal conditions for producing ripe, powerful wines from Bordeaux varieties. Soil types range from limestone to alluvial wash to sedimentary and metamorphic rock, particularly chert and serpentinite (coincidentally California's state rock). Such soils allow roots to dig deep in search of nutrients, thrusting minerality and freshness in the resulting wines to the forefront, providing an elegant compliment to the opulence of the resulting wines. Legend has it that Happy Canyon earned its name during the era of prohibition. Thanks to the region's isolated and remote location, bootleggers could produce their moonshine uninhibited in near total seclusion. Happy Canyon is Santa Barbara's youngest growing region. It was first planted in 1996 when Neil and Francine Afromsky commissioned Jeff Newton and Ben Merz to plant Westerly Vineyard (known today as McGinley), setting the stage for what would become an internationally acclaimed Bordeaux program in the heart of Santa Barbara County. For its annual review, Sommeliers of the American Riviera (StAR) tastes blind, that is to say that those judging are blind to the identities of participating producers. The wines are judged solely on their appearance, aroma, flavor, and structure, according to what the international sommelier community considers to be a classic example of the highest quality wine a given grape variety can produce when grown in a particular region. Of the 45 wines tasted for the StAR 2025 Ballard Canyon Review, the following received 90 points or higher: Marco Lucchesi 2018 Star Lane Vineyards, Cabernet Sauvignon — 95 Crown Point 2024 Estate White - 94 Dragonette Cellars 2023 Vogelzang Vineyard, Sauvignon Blanc — 94 Genuine Risk 2023 BDX Red Blend - 94 Grimm’s Bluff 2019 “Contango” Cabernet Sauvignon — 94 Crown Point 2022 Cabernet Sauvignon — 93 Star Lane 2024 Sauvignon Blanc — 93 Westerly 2021 “Fletcher’s” Cabernet Sauvignon, Reserve — 93 Dragonette Cellars 2023 Grassini Family Vineyards, Sauvignon Blanc — 92 Foxen 2024 Vogelzang Vineyard, Sauvignon Blanc — 92 Grassini Family Vineyards 2024 Sauvignon Blanc, Reserve — 92 Ad Ripa 2021 China Blue Vineyard, Cabernet Sauvignon — 92 Ad Ripa 2022 Cabernet Sauvignon — 92 Babcock 2021 Adventures in Sublime Landscapes, BDX Red Blend — 92 Carr Winery 2022 Rossi Vineyard, Cabernet Franc — 92 Grassini Family Vineyards 2022 Cabernet Sauvignon, Reserve — 92 McKinney Family Vineyards 2022 Napoleon’s Secret, BDX Red Blend — 92 Star Lane 2019 “Astral” Cabernet Sauvignon — 92 Lou Bud 2024 Sauvignon Blanc — 91 McKinney Family Vineyards 2024 Vogelzang Vineyard, Sauvignon Blanc — 91 Barrack 2020 “Ten Goal” Cabernet Sauvignon — 91 Grimm’s Bluff 2019 “Cliff Hanger” Cabernet Sauvignon — 91 Piocho 2021 BDX Red Blend — 91 Café Society 2024 Sauvignon Blanc — 90 Lieu Dit 2023 McGinley Vineyard, Sauvignon Blanc — 90 Margerum 2024 “Sybarite” Sauvignon Blanc — 90 Jamie Slone 2020 “Apex” BDX Red Blend — 90 What we liked most about Marco Lucchesi's Cabernet Sauvignon: deep ruby color | high aromatic intensity | flavors and aromas of ripe black cherry, blackberry, cassis, chocolate, kirsch, coffee, potpourri, and fern leaf | soft texture, smooth tannin, full body and warm alcohol | 95 points What we liked most about Crown Point's Estate White: straw yellow to golden color | expressive aromatics | flavors and aromas of apricot, guava, nectarine, pineapple gummy bears, cinnamon, nutmeg, lemongrass, and dried herbs | bright acidity with velveteen texture | 94 points What we liked most about Dragonette's Sauvignon Blanc: golden | expressive aromatics | flavors and aromas of guava, papaya, cinnamon, nutmeg, lemon drops, sweet cream, and tropical flowers | vibrant minerality with weight and texture balanced by juicy acidity | 94 points External links:  Marco Lucchesi—Section Wines   Crown Point Vineyards   Dragonette Cellars   Thank you to all the producers that participated in this project, and congratulations especially to Marco Lucchesi, Crown Point and Dragonette Cellars! Your hard work and passion bring joy to us all. Emily Johnston, founding member Carlos Mascherin, founding member Kathryn Hope, senior member Tristan Pitre, team member