Liquid Farm, the name, sums up the guiding philosophy of its founders, Jeff Nelson and Nikki Pallesen. When they started their Santa Ynez winery in 2009 their goal was “to create awareness about what happens above the ground and below the ground, and tell the story of how both are inextricably linked to wine. Wine…..is Liquid from Farming.” Nelson was a wine industry veteran having worked for Champagne and Burgundy houses, and Pallesen had worked for California wine distributor and as a wine retailer. As wine lovers who preferred lower alcohol, terroir-driven wines, they gravitated toward European wines. The pair also shared a passion for Chardonnay. So in 2009 they sourced Chardonnay grapes from Santa Rita Hills vineyards and made their first barrels. The Santa Rita Hills appellations is one of California’s coolest, which appealed to Nelson and Pallesen. With winemaker James Sparks they have concentrated on Chardonnay as well as rosé. Reviewers have rated the wines in the low to mid-90s.