Ampelos Cellars

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Ampelos Cellars began when the owners purchased 82 acres in 1999 in what became the Sta. Rita Hills appellation, naming it "ampelos," the Greek word for vine, a nod to their close ties to Greece, where they were married and own the small Ampelos Hotel on the island of Folegandros. A cancelled meeting at the World Trade Center on the morning of September 11, 2001 convinced them to leave their corporate jobs and move to the vineyard full time to grow grapes and make wine. The estate vineyard sits at the eastern end of the Sta. Rita Hills, a cool-climate site planted to Pinot Noir, Grenache, Syrah, Viognier, and Riesling, first planted in 2001 with first harvest in 2004. In 2009 it became the first vineyard in the US certified in all three practices: organic, biodynamic, and Sustainability in Practice (SIP). Wines are hands-on and minimally invasive, and tastings are hosted at the tasting room in the Lompoc Wine Ghetto at 312 North 9th Street, open Thursday-Sunday 11am-5pm and Monday 11am-4pm.