Proprietor and Winemaker John Benedetti has hit his stride at Sante Arcangeli after years of dedication and a period of personal hardship. The 2024s I tasted for this report are far and away the best wines I’ve ever tasted from this project. Sourced primarily from vineyards in coastal-influenced Corralitos, the wines show more depth, finesse and resonance than they have in the past. There’s not much else to say beyond the fact that these wines are truly exceptional, some of the very best in the Santa Cruz Mountains, and I’d be thrilled to drink any of them. –Billy Norris, Antonio Galloni’s Vinous, June 2026
Vinous, one of the world’s major wine publications, has just performed a roundup of the Santa Cruz Mountains. After visiting many local wineries and tasting well over 100 wines, Billy’s synopsis of the area overall was extremely favorable.
The story here is not simply that the best wines are great. That has been true in the Santa Cruz Mountains for a long time. The story is that the middle and upper-middle tiers have improved dramatically. Producers who might once have been interesting mostly in a local context are now making wines that deserve serious attention. Appellation bottlings are stronger. Vineyard designates are more articulate. Chardonnay, Pinot Noir, Cabernet Sauvignon, Syrah and other varieties are all finding compelling expressions in the right hands. Producers like Alfaro, Beauregard, Big Basin, Farm Cottage, Madson, Neely, Sandar & Hem and Sante Arcangeli are just some of the exciting needle-movers who are claiming their rightful spots at the top of the heap. –Billy Norris, Antonio Galloni’s Vinous, June 2026
Personally, we’re very pleased to learn that all of our wines showed well in this tasting, with the 2024 Split Rail Chardonnay and Pinot Noir rising to the top of the heap (97 and 96 points, respectively). Our lowest score for the 2024 vintage among the Santa Cruz Mountains wines we showed was a 93+.
For me, writing as the owner/winemaker, that consistency is key, year-over-year and within a vintage. It’s vital to me that every wine show the highest possible quality, that there are no “hit and miss” lineups. I need people to feel comfortable in the knowledge that every bottle they invest in will not disappoint. I’m really happy that, once again, our current vintage has achieved that goal.
–JB
