Sweetzer Cellars

Sweetzer Cellars in Lompoc, California, is Lisa and Michael’s small-production winery, centered on Pinot Noir and Chardonnay from Santa Barbara County vineyards. Its origin story starts with a 2008 trip to France and a decidedly impractical winemaking space: a white-carpeted, second-floor West Hollywood apartment. The carport serves as the crush pad, the dining room handles fermentation, and a bedroom kept at 60 degrees doubles as the cellar. The name preserves that connection to Sweetzer Avenue.

Today, vineyard-specific bottlings give the wines their focus: La Encantada, Chapel, and Rita’s Crown vineyards in the Sta. Rita Hills American Viticultural Area, plus Presqu’ile Vineyard in the Santa Maria Valley American Viticultural Area. Pinot Noir and Chardonnay are the main draw, but the less-familiar grapes deserve attention. The 2021 Camp 4 Vineyard Mourvèdre from the Santa Ynez Valley uses whole-cluster fermentation—grapes fermented with their stems—and represents just 99 cases. Chapel Vineyard Dornfelder and Jurassic Park Vineyard Chenin Blanc add further reasons to look beyond the usual two grapes.

The tasting room at 308 North 9th Street, Unit C, makes Sweetzer a practical Lompoc stop Friday through Sunday, from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. Appointments outside regular hours require 48 hours’ notice.