Founder’s Club – FALL 2024 Release
Happy Harvest Season! The vineyards are hives of activity across Santa Barbara County with the grapes being plucked at peak ripeness before continuing their journey to our cellar where they will be handcrafted into award-winning wines.
This year’s grape harvest began three weeks earlier than normal due to the cumulative effects of Mother Nature over the past 18 months. Our 2024 Harvest is already more than two-thirds complete, with 71 tons of grapes having already come in and 33 to go.
Join Us at the Estate This Fall
Meanwhile, if you missed our annual STOMP harvest celebration last weekend, don’t worry. There are plenty of opportunities to enjoy the Fall season at the Sunstone Estate, with a full calendar of upcoming events. We look forward to raising a glass with you at the following events!
- October 11th to 14th: “Drink Pink” Breast Cancer Awareness Weekend
- October 19th: Halloween Movie Night: Hocus Pocus
- October 20th: “Exploring Wine Regions” Book Signing
- November 1st to 3rd: Fall Club Release Weekend
- November 1st: Fall Member Pickup Party
- November 2nd: Paint & Sip in the Vineyard
- November 2nd: Sunstone’s 3rd Annual Haunted Ball
- November 7th to 11th: International Merlot Day Weekend
- November 29th to December 2nd: Black Friday Weekend: Our Biggest Sale of the Year
- December 7th & 8th: Sunstone’s Annual Holiday Market
You Spoke. We Listened.
In case you missed it, back in August we sent out a survey to all members to gather feedback about your satisfaction with various aspects of your membership and to gauge your interest in possible new benefits.
While we were elated that 91% of you expressed satisfaction with your Sunstone membership, we didn’t want to stop there. We read EVERY one of the hundreds of comments we received and took them to heart. As a result, we recently added these new exciting benefits to make your Membership experience even better:
- Our new Cavetop Terrace Members’ Lounge is open.
- Unlimited complimentary tastings are back.
- We launched an expanded Event Calendar with more affordable events.
- We are Introducing “Sunstone on the Road” events in different cities.
- We have improved our Customer Service.
You can read more about these exciting new benefits here. On to the details of your next wine shipment!
Your Fall Shipment
As part of our 30th Anniversary celebration, Founder’s Club members will receive a special “vertical tasting” shipment of our Estate Merlot, covering the celebrated 2020, 2021, and 2022 vintages. The 2022 Estate Merlot is a new release, while the 2020 and 2021 vintages have both been rated 90 points by Wine Enthusiast! Members that have chosen the Mixed option will also receive the new 2023 Symphonie white blend, as well as the 91-point rated 2021 Petit Verdot Reserve.
2023
Symphonie Du Soleil
Retail: $45.00
| Grape Blend and Source | 68% Viognier, 28% Picpoul Blanc, 4% Grenache Blanc Valley View, Nolan Vineyard, Santa Ynez, and La Presa Vineyard Vineyards |
|---|---|
| Technical Specs | PH: 3.77 Acidity: 6.2 g/L Alcohol: 13.8% Aged 9 months in 60% New French Oak, and 40% Neutral Oak |
| Case Production | 176 |
| Tasting Notes | The aroma of this wine resembles quince, lemongrass, crab apple, banana, pink grapefruit, and pear. The characters consist of ripe pear, dried apricot, quince, nectarine, white peach, lemongrass, white peppercorn, warm gingerroot, and Thai kaffir lime leaf. Including hints of vanilla and cedar from the balance of three-year-old French & American oak tannins. |
| Winemaking Notes | The 2023 Viognier, Picpoul Blanc, and Grenache Blanc grapes were hand-harvested as separate vineyard lots in the last week of September and the second week of October 2024. Our whole-cluster wine production team pressed and racked each varietal's juice into small lot tanks during each harvest date. These varietals were each inoculated from the juice for the fermentation process for 18 days before racking each lot into French and American oak barrels for aging while also completing secondary fermentation, or “malolactic fermentation.” |
| Food Pairing | Fried Goat Cheese Salad with Green Apples and Almonds |
| Cellaring | This wine should be enjoyed for the next 12-18 months and is not a candidate for long term aging. |
2022
Merlot, Estate
Retail: $70.00
| Grape Blend and Source | 100% Merlot Sunstone Estate |
|---|---|
| Technical Specs | PH: 3.79 Acidity: 5.6 g/L Alcohol: 12.5% Aged 21 months in 40% French Oak, and 60% Neutral Oak |
| Case Production | 657 |
| Tasting Notes | This wine's aromas resemble blackberry, cherry, clay loam, pine bark sap, tobacco, espresso beans, cocoa, blueberry, currants, rhubarb, honey, and lavender. The characters open up with rich blackberry, boysenberry, tobacco, dark plum, black pepper, cloves, candied orange, dark roast coffee, hibiscus, and jasmine tea. |
| Winemaking Notes | Sunstone’s 2022 Merlot Estate was hand-harvested from our Vineyard Estate blocks. AB-blocks were crushed to the tank as a co-fermentation on September 19th, C-block separately crushed on October 13th, and D-block separately crushed on October 20th. The grapes were harvested individually and then fermented in tanks for an average of 18 days before pressing the wine from the grape must (grape skins, seeds) into another tank to settle the lees or sediment before racking to 40% new French Oak barrels. The single varietal vineyard designated was aged 21 months before bottling on July 3rd, 2024. Our winemaker’s yeast(s) of choice was BM45 & D80. These yeasts enhance sensory and tannin notes and illuminate the characteristics of dark berry, cherry liquor, blackberry, boysenberry, espresso, spice, dried strawberries, cedar, licorice, and fresh floral bouquets. The Merlot Estate was sent through malolactic fermentation to reduce the sharp acidity of the malic acid. This wine shows many layers from the elevation and terroirs of each vineyard’s soils and minerals. The tannin texture is soft and dry, broadcasting its dark cassis, blueberry, boysenberry, espresso, lavender, and black pepper characteristics. It remains complex from start to finish. Our Merlot Estate was aged 40% French Oak and 60% Neutral oak for 21 months before bottling on July 3rd, 2024. |
| Food Pairing | Eggplant Parmesan with Braciole |
| Cellaring | The 2022 Merlot, Estate can be enjoyed for the next 5-10 years if stored in proper conditions. |
2021
Merlot, Estate
Retail: $70.00
| Grape Blend and Source | 98% Merlot, 2% Cabernet Franc Sunstone Estate |
|---|---|
| Technical Specs | PH: 3.77 Acidity: 6.0 g/L Alcohol: 13.7% Aged 22 months in 20% New French Oak, and 80% Neutral French Oak |
| Case Production | 485 |
| Tasting Notes | Intriguing nose of fresh black plums, lilac, and espresso, with spicy notes of cumin. oft front palate with dark chocolate, peppercorn, and espresso giving way to rich fruit notes of dark cherries and blackberries, ending with a warm, lingering finish. |
| Winemaking Notes | Grapes for the 2021 Merlot Estate come from all four of the Merlot blocks planted at the Sunstone Estate vineyard. These four blocks (named A, B, C and D) were picked and fermented as two separate ferments. Blocks A & B were picked and fermented together, and blocks C & D were picked and fermented together. These wines come from different soil types and get different levels of sun exposure and air drainage, creating two distinct wines. After a final blend was made from these lots and a small addition of Cabernet Franc, the wine was transferred to 20% new and 80% neutral French oak barrels for a total of 22 months before being bottled in August 2023. |
| Food Pairing | Tuscan Braised Beef rubbed w/Mediterranean Herbs, Lemon Black Pepper, Garlic, and Dried Spices. Served with Savory Corn Pudding with a side of Crunchy Roasted Kale, Bacon, and Brussel Sprouts. |
| Cellaring | This wine can be enjoyed now and for up to an additional 5-8 years if stored in proper conditions. |
2020
Merlot, Estate
Retail: $70.00
| Grape Blend and Source | 100% Merlot Sunstone Estate |
|---|---|
| Technical Specs | PH: 3.76 Acidity: 5.2 g/L Alcohol: 14.3% Aged 22 months in 20% New French Oak, and 80% Neutral French Oak |
| Case Production | 710 |
| Tasting Notes | An alluring bouquet of fresh black plums, lilac blossoms, and rich espresso rises from the glass, accented by subtle hints of cumin, cloves, and turmeric. The palate unfolds softly with layers of dark chocolate, cracked peppercorn, and espresso, transitioning gracefully into warm notes of berry cobbler and ripe blackberries. A warm, lingering finish leaves a lasting impression of depth and elegance. |
| Winemaking Notes | Sunstone Winery’s 2020 Estate Merlot is a masterful blend of hand-harvested grapes from our estate vineyards, picked in early September 2020. A 2% addition of Estate Cabernet Franc introduces a subtle black pepper nuance. Aged for 22 months in 20% new French oak and 80% neutral oak barrels, this Merlot reveals layers of dark berry, star anise, black pepper, and espresso, enhanced by floral and spice aromatics. Malolactic fermentation lends a velvety texture and balanced acidity. Limited release of 710 cases bottled in August 2022. |
| Food Pairing | Tuscan Braised Beef rubbed w/Mediterranean Herbs, Lemon Black Pepper, Garlic, and Dried Spices. Served with Savory Corn Pudding with a side of Crunchy Roasted Kale, Bacon, and Brussel Sprouts. |
| Cellaring | The 2020 Merlot Reserve, Estate can be enjoyed now and for an additional 6-12 years if stored in proper conditions. |
2021
Petit Verdot Reserve
Retail: $55.00
| 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% Aged 21 months in 40% French Oak, and 60% Neutral Oak |
| Case Production | 657 |
| 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. |
| 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. |
| Food Pairing | Turkey Meat Balls with Garden Veggies and Homemade Spicey Habanero Tomato Sauce |
| Cellaring | This wine can be enjoyed now and for up to an additional 5-8 years if stored in proper conditions. |
Important Dates
Last Day for Credit Card & Address Changes, and Bottle Swaps
October 21
Credit Cards are Charged
October 22
Club Orders Available for Pickup
November 1
Non-pickup orders Shipped out
November 4