AT LUCAS & LEWELLEN, founded by Louis Lucas and the late Royce Lewellen in 1996, three distinct Santa Barbara vineyards accentuate the collaborative nature of viticulture and winemaking. Lucas oversees vineyard management for the winery, working closely with winemaker Megan McGrath Gates, now in the 17th year of her tenure.

While the love affair between Santa Barbara and Pinot Noir is apparent today, Lucas was a pioneer in the region, planting the grape in Tepusquet Vineyard in 1970. Grape growing was in his blood: His father grew table grapes, which “have to be perfect,” Lucas explained. As for his choice of winemaker, he was intrigued by McGrath’s background in agronomy, of which she quips, “I studied dirt.” Earning her Certificate in Winemaking from the University of California, Davis, she is as attentive to her work as Lucas is to his, from plucking an excess leaf to laying hands on the wine tanks to check that the temperature is correct.

Their commitment to detail begins, of course, in Lucas & Lewellen’s three vineyards.

The Goodchild Vineyard, named for its initial owners and planted by Lucas, is located in the Santa Maria Valley AVA and, as the coolest of the winery’s vineyards, is well suited to Pinot Noir and Chardonnay; plantings of kiwi, which look like grapevines on steroids, occupy a small portion of the land. The highest of the site’s three parcels is the acclaimed High 9, where, in addition to the roaring of the wind, you might hear the occasional rumble of whatever SpaceX is up to at the nearby Vandenberg Space Force Base. All of this energy is reflected in wines like the 2019 High 9 Goodchild Vineyard Pinot Noir, whose aromas of red cherry and cherry-vanilla cola on the nose are echoed on the palate with the addition of allspice, a hint of dried earth, and brambly notes. Zippy acid and velvet tannins balance the fruit ripeness.

The Los Alamos Vineyard has a more moderate climate and grows a smattering of Italian varieties (the specialty of Lucas & Lewellen’s Toccata label) as well as Merlot and Petite Sirah. The property is home to some of Lucas’ most intriguing training systems: The taller, quadrilaterally trained vines resemble helicopters, and the shorter, spur-trained vines grow between them. In all of the vineyards, Lucas’ expertise is evident; tweaks in pruning, aimed at uniformly ripening bunches, make all the difference when it comes to crafting wines like the 2022 Rosé of Pinot Noir. Unusual for a dry rosé, it’s a blend of 87% Pinot Noir and 13% Chardonnay from Goodchild and Los Alamos; the decadently juicy result is rife with ripe red berries and sweet grapefruit countered by slight salinity and a mineral pucker.

The warmest of the three vineyards by roughly 15 degrees, Valley View spans two AVAs: Santa Ynez Valley and the Los Olivos District. True to its name, it has quite the view facing south toward the Santa Ynez River and is planted to Bordeaux varieties: Cabernet Sauvignon, Petit Verdot, Malbec, and Sauvignon Blanc (Lucas found more success with another Bordeaux cultivar, Merlot, in the Los Alamos Vineyard). Supporting Lucas’ assertion that “Cab loves the sun,” it makes standout Cabernet-based wines. Upon purchasing it, Lucas recognized that higher-density planting would be a boon and has more than doubled the vines using the layering technique. Cool Pacific winds can be felt coursing through the east-west valley, and their influence is felt in bottlings like the remarkably elegant 2019 Cote del Sol Cabernet Sauvignon; co-fermented with 8% Syrah, it shows seamlessly integrated oak alongside notes of subtle allspice, vanilla, slightly spicy cassis, and juicy blackberry with a hint of bramble. In the crave-worthy 2019 Valley View Cabernet Franc, meanwhile, red fruit tops chocolate undercurrents as light green peppercorns accent a lush but poised body. The tannins are medium-plus yet ripe, and the finish veers back into spice and earth.

Lucas and McGrath’s synergy with the vines is striking. McGrath constantly consults with Lucas, striving to understand the grapes she works with. In the winery, the connection continues as McGrath tastes daily. “I try and clear my mind, go blank, smell,” she says. “I try not to second-guess myself.” The results of this symbiotic relationship are gorgeous bottlings that show varietal character while reflecting the unique terroir of their respective sites.