Spear Winery Company

Spear Winery Company is a family-owned estate winery in Lompoc, California’s Sta. Rita Hills American Viticultural Area (AVA), with herbicide-free farming at the center of its work. Ofer Shepher guides the farming alongside Ben Merz and Shannon Gledhill. The estate’s 2014 plantings span roughly 40 producing acres, with elevations reaching 900 feet. Pinot Noir and Chardonnay occupy most of the vineyard, alongside Syrah, Grenache Noir, and Grüner Veltliner.

The wines give individual sections of the property their own attention. The 2023 Block 13 Pinot Noir amounts to just 144 cases, while the 2022 Block 19 Syrah totals 48. Chardonnay offers another reason to pay attention: the 2023 Estate bottling combines equal parts Wente and Mount Eden clones—different selections of the same grape. Spear also makes traditional-method sparkling Pinot Noir, with bubbles developed through a second fermentation in the bottle.

The tasting room follows the footprint and roofline of the property’s original 1920s dairy barn, with views across the vines and surrounding valley. A vineyard-surrounded patio provides outdoor seating. Visits are appointment-only, Thursday through Monday, for guests 21 and older. The guided signature tasting costs $40 and takes about 90 minutes; one fee is waived with every three bottles purchased. A seasonal private vineyard and winery tour with tasting costs $80 per person.