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Heritage In 1986, the magnificent beauty and stunning fruit quality of the Santa Maria Bench, known then as Tepusquet Vineyard, captivated the Jackson family, who were looking to extend their winemaking roots to Santa Barbara County. In 1987 they purchased the premium acreage of the original Tepusquet vineyard and renamed it Cambria, the Roman word for Wales, in honor of their family heritage. Since then, Cambria has carved out a reputation for lush, tropical Chardonnay, velvety-textured Pinot Noir and rich, spicy Syrah. Wines All wines bearing the Cambria name are grown, produced and bottled on the property. Katherine's Chardonnay and Julia's Pinot Noir, named for the family's two daughters, represent the estate's quintessential styles — lush, tropical Chardonnay and velvety-textured Pinot Noir. The Tepusquet Vineyard Syrah is a rich and spicy style of Syrah for which Cambria has earned high regard. Bench Break Vineyard highlights the unique, mineral characteristics of the most austere area of the estate. We produce two varietals from this vineyard, the Bench Break Vineyard Chardonnay and the Bench Break Vineyard Pinot Noir Rae's is the preferred winemaking style of our proprietor Barbara Banke, revealing bold and rare winemaking that magnifies the inherent characteristics in the Rae's Chardonnay and the Rae's Pinot Noir produced on the Cambria estate. Growing Conditions Cambria's 1,405-acre, family-owned estate is located in the heart of the Santa Maria Valley appellation of Santa Barbara County. The soil is shallow, porous and exceptionally well-draining, which restricts vine vigor, forcing the vine to focus on fruit development. Maritime influences, brought from the Pacific Ocean 15 miles to the west, and southern exposure cloak the region in annually mild temperatures– extending the vineyard's growing season. This allows the fruit more time on the vine to balance the fruit's acid and develop mature fruit flavors. Viticulture Cambria's efforts in the vineyard work to enhance already favorable conditions, creating the quality foundation for the flavor and distinction of all Cambria wines. Vineyard management techniques, such as leaf thinning, allow more sunlight on the clusters for full, even ripening and development of concentrated character. Irrigation is minimized to restrict vigor and focus the vine's energy on the grapes. Underdeveloped fruit is taken off the vines at veraison to promote the growth of densely flavored clusters. Together, these techniques ensure optimum fruit quality before beginning the winemaking process. Winemaking "Winemaking begins on the vine." Denise Shurtleff, Cambria winemaker, is noticeably humble about her craft, stressing that varietal characteristics should be solidly developed before fruit is ever harvested. The lush, tropical notes of Chardonnay, the dense fruit concentration of Pinot Noir and the rich, spiciness of Syrah are captured only if developed in the vineyard. Her work focuses on building complexity and body from the inherent varietal qualities. Chardonnay is barrel fermented and aged sur lies to intensify palate feel and fruit bouquet. Pinot Noir and Syrah are cold-soaked to heighten color and extract complex flavors. 
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© 2002-2007 Cambria Winery |
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