A NEW YEAR, A NEW CLUB, AND A MAJOR MILESTONE
Happy New Year! By now you’ve probably read through last week’s two exciting announcements regarding Sunstone’s 30th Anniversary and the major enhancements to your wine club membership. For those that missed the announcements, here is a brief recap.
Enhanced Membership Benefits
The Sunstone Wine Club has gotten a makeover for the first time since 2019! We have taken your feedback and upgraded our membership options to provide you with even more benefits, savings, and flexibility. New benefits include:
- Bottle Swap– Customize your club order by swapping out a bottle for one of equal or lesser value.
- Sunstone Rewards– Earn points on every dollar you spend, redeemable for wine purchases.
- Hotel & Villa Discounts– Save up to 25% off stays at select Santa Ynez Valley hotels and the Sunstone Villa.
- Vertical Shipments– In 2024, Founder’s Club members will receive three special shipments of “vertical” sets of our three flagship wines.
**You are enrolled in the Reserve Club. To see all your benefits and compare them to the Signature and Founder’s Club levels, please review this comparison chart.**
Sunstone’s 30th Anniversary
In 1994, four years after the first wine grapes were planted, a modest horse barn on the Estate was replaced by a rustic, Provence-style tasting room and Sunstone Winery was born! We will be commemorating our 30th Anniversary in 2024 with a yearlong celebration with exclusive events, tastings, and offers, including:
- Specially Crafted 30thAnniversary wine
- 30thAnniversary Celebration: August 2nd-4th
- Enhanced Wine Club Membership Benefits
- Exclusive “Verticals” for Founder’s Members
Let’s raise our glasses high and toast to 30 years of unforgettable memories. Here’s to the past, present, and future – to continued excellence and the joy of sharing it with you.
Your February Shipment & Eros Weekend
On to the details of your next wine shipment! As longtime members know, the February shipment is the most anticipated release of the year because it includes Eros, our flagship Bordeaux blend named for the Greek god of love! We hope you can join us on Eros Weekend from February 9th to 11th.
This year, Founder’s Club members will receive a special Eros vertical set, while Signature and Reserve members will receive special reserve Library wines in addition to Eros.
Thank you again for your continued support. Read below for more details on all the wines in your upcoming release. Cheers!
2023 Sauvignon Blanc (Mixed Clubs Only)
Retail: $30.00
| Grape Blend and Source | 100% Sauvignon Blanc Nolan Vineyard, Santa Barbara County |
|---|---|
| Technical Specs | PH: 3.57 Acidity: 6.2 g/L Alcohol: 14.2% |
| Case Production | 394 |
| Winemaking Notes | The grapes for our 2023 Sauvignon Blanc were harvested from Block #31 at Nolan Ranch Vineyard in the Alisos Canyon AVA on October 10th, 2023. Our winemaking team whole-cluster pressed the juice into a stainless-steel tank and then inoculated the juice to ferment for 16 days. Our winemaker’s yeast of choice was BA11, which enhances sensory notes of floral, lemongrass, tropical, stone fruit, pear, apricot, citrus, green apple, grapefruit, and pineapple aroma, while augmenting the viscosity of the wine. The 977 gallons of Sauvignon Blanc were bottled to 407 cases in December 2023. |
| Tasting Notes | Bright aromas of grapefruit, pineapple, chamomile, and green apple with hints of a jasmine floral bouquet. Crisp, lingering acidity on the palate with characteristics of green apple, raw honey, lemongrass, candied lemon rind, and honeydew with smooth viscosity, and a soft finish. |
| Food Pairing | Red Curry Fish and Pumpkin Soup w/ Lemongrass and Coconut Milk |
| Cellaring | The 2023 Sauvignon Blanc can be enjoyed now and for up to an additional 18 months if stored in proper conditions. It is not a candidate for long term aging. |
2021 Eros
Retail: $80.00
| Grape Blend and Source | 80% Merlot, 14% Cabernet Franc, 6% Cabernet Sauvignon Sunstone Estate Vineyard |
|---|---|
| Technical Specs | PH: 3.56 Acidity: 5.3 g/L Alcohol: 14% |
| Case Production | 2,375 |
| Winemaking Notes | The varietals for the 2021 Eros, our flagship, Right Bank Bordeaux-style blend, were hand-harvested from the Sunstone Estate vineyard and its designated blocks during October 2021. Our winemaking team crushed the fruit, fermented each lot individually, and blended it later in the aging process. The wine was fermented using an assortment of yeast, including BM45 and RC212, and nutrients to balance the complexity of layers. Secondary bacteria was then added before completing primary fermentation to produce a round mouthfeel and soften the tannin structure. The varietals for Eros were blended together in May 2022, then racked to 75% neutral, 25% new French oak barrels and aged until being bottled to 2,375 cases in December 2023. |
| Tasting Notes | Sophisticated aromas of dark berries, black tea, espresso, and agave nectar are accented by spice and pepper notes. Velvety and well-structured on the palate with a smooth mouthfeel broadcasting blackberry, cocoa nibs, espresso, cloves, dark cherry, and fresh figs before culminating in a warm, spicy finish. |
| Food Pairing | Pappardelle Butternut Squash Pasta drizzled with sage butter, portobello mushroom, roasted tomato, and slow-cooked beef ragu |
| Cellaring | The 2021 Eros can be enjoyed now and for an additional 8-15 years if stored in proper conditions. |
2020 Petit Verdot Reserve
Retail: $65.00
| Grape Blend and Source | 100% Petit Verdot Nolan Vineyard, Lucas & Lewellen & Pear Valley |
|---|---|
| Technical Specs | PH: 3.74 Acidity: 6.4 g/L Alcohol: 14.6% |
| Case Production | 394 |
| Winemaking Notes | Sunstone’s 2021 Petit Verdot grapes were hand harvested from four vineyards in Santa Barbara County during the month of October 2021. Our team crushed the fruit and fermented each lot individually and blended later in the aging process. The wine was fermented by using an assortment of yeast such as RC212 and D80 and nutrients to balance the complexity of layers. We then added the secondary bacteria prior to completing primary fermentation, which allows for a round mouth feel and softens tannin structure. The wine was racked to barrel and aged until blended March 2022 and bottled in December 2022. |
| Tasting Notes | The voluminous and zesty aromas give this bottling a distinctive personality consisting of blackberry, boysenberry, figs, black pepper, Earl Grey tea, limestone, and Kefir lime. The character consists of blackberry, black licorice, plum, figs, black pepper, tart cherry, cedar, coffee, and cocoa nibs. |
| Food Pairing | Turkey Meat Balls with Garden Veggies and Homemade Spicey Habanero Tomato Sauce |
| Cellaring | The 2021 Eros can be enjoyed now and for an additional 8-15 years if stored in proper conditions. |
2020 Syrah, SBC
Retail: $45.00
| Grape Blend and Source | 100% Syrah Coquelicot, Black Oak and Spear vineyards |
|---|---|
| Technical Specs | PH: 3.70 Acidity: 5.5 g/L Alcohol: 14.8% |
| Case Production | 580 |
| Winemaking Notes | The fruit for our 2020 Syrah was hand harvested from three vineyards in three AVAs (Alisos Canyon, Sta. Rita Hills, and Santa Ynez Valley). The second week of October 2020, our team crushed the fruit from two vineyards, then cold soaked the grapes for 5 days before fermenting. At the completion and pressing of the co-fermented Syrah we then harvested from a vineyard in Sta. Rita Hills in late October 2020, then fermented and processed independently before blending. The wines were aged separately in American Oak for two months then the winemaker fine-tuned the wine by blending 8% Syrah from the Sta. Rita Syrah Vineyard. Our winemaker’s yeasts of choice were RA17 and Rhone4600, which enhances sensory notes of Bing cherry, licorice, black pepper, anise, and espresso to the characters of the Syrah varietal for a more aromatic balance. Our Syrah was aged in 18% new/82% neutral oak barrels for 19 months before being bottled to 580 cases in March 2022. |
| Tasting Notes | Fruit-forward nose of Bing cherry and strawberry rhubarb pie aromas, with dark chocolate and black pepper notes underneath. Lean and jammy on the palate with cherry cola and black licorice character and a medley of spices leading to rich finish. |
| Food Pairing | Berry Cherry Chipotle BBQ Chicken Sandwich |
| Cellaring | The 2020 Syrah, SBC can be enjoyed now and for the next 4-5 years if stored in optimal conditions |