Ryan Cochrane
Ryan Cochrane produces Pinot Noir and Chardonnay from Santa Barbara County's Sta. Rita Hills, a cool-climate pocket of California's Central Coast known for elegant, mineral-driven wines. The winery's Solomon Hills Vineyard Chardonnay and Solomon Hills Vineyard Pinot Noir both score 93.4 with Wine Enthusiast, anchoring a portfolio that includes Fiddlestix Vineyard Pinot Noir. The region's maritime influence and diurnal temperature swings favor the precision these varieties demand—bright acidity in the whites, silky tannins in the reds. Sta. Rita Hills' east-west orientation and afternoon fog create conditions where Chardonnay achieves both richness and restraint, while Pinot Noir develops complexity without overripeness. Ryan Cochrane's vineyard-designated releases reflect the terroir specificity that defines serious Central Coast winemaking.
Critics
Wine Enthusiast