WARM WEATHER AND FINE WINES AHEAD
Spring has arrived at Sunstone! The weather is warmer, and the vineyards are coming back to life with new growth, turning the estate into a refreshing green oasis perfect for a weekend escape. Take a relaxing walk through the vines, enjoy tastings in our members’ lounge, and experience the peaceful charm that makes Santa Ynez Valley so special.
With longer days and sunny skies ahead, we’ve put together an event calendar with something for everyone. In addition to Sundays at Sunstone– live music and mimosas every Sunday through the end of Summer- we’ve got an exciting lineup of events planned at the Estate to make your Spring visits even more enjoyable.
- May 9th to 11th– Spring Club Release Weekend, including Member Pickup Party and Mother’s Day Paint & Sip
- May 23rd to 26th– Memorial Day Weekend, including Friday Movie Night
- June 7th– “K9s in the Vines” Dog Adoption Day
- June 15th– Father’s Day BBQ & Live Music
- June 28th & 29th– Summer Market & 2024 Grenache Rosé Release
Whether you’re looking forward to sampling new wine releases, attending special events, or just enjoying the natural beauty of our estate, there’s plenty of reasons to spend some time with us this season.
Your Spring Club Release
On to the details of your next wine shipment!
We are continuing our recent tradition of including award-winning and library wines in each club shipment to maximize value for our members. All Founder’s Club members will receive a Fred’s Red duo- the 90-point-rated 2021 Fred’s Red and the new 2022 Fred’s Red, as well as the new 2022 Syrah, Estate. Members that have chosen the Mixed option will also receive the new 2024 Linda’s Viognier and the 2023 Symphonie.
Thank you again for your continued support
2024
Linda's Viognier, Estate
Retail: $50.00
| Grape Blend and Source | 100% Viognier Sunstone Estate (Linda's Vineyard) |
|---|---|
| Technical Specs | PH: 3.81 Acidity: 4.7 g/L Alcohol: 14.9% 6 months in neutral French oak |
| Case Production | 42 |
| Tasting Notes | Elegant aromas of fresh apricots and white lilies are complemented by bright grapefruit, citrus, peach, and subtle notes of almond and cedar. Harmonious flavors of apricot, pear-apple, and guava meld with refreshing grapefruit, tart white cherry, honeydew, stone fruit, and a delicate hint of ginger. |
| Winemaking Notes | Named for our late founder, Linda Rice, this wine featured the only white varietals grown on the Sunstone Estate. The grapes for our 2024 "Linda's Vineyard" Estate Viognier were hand harvested from the Sunstone Estate in September 2024. Our wine production team whole-cluster pressed the fruit, then cold-soaked the grapes for 48 hours to settle solids (lees) and inoculated the juice for the fermentation process for 10 days before racking to 100% French oak barrels for aging and to complete secondary fermentation, "malolactic fermentation." Our winemaker's yeast of choice was BA11, which enhances additional sensory notes of tropical fruit, pear, apricot, pineapple, grapefruit, and floral characters. |
| Food Pairing | Seared scallops with citrus beurre blanc, poached salmon with dill cream sauce, roasted pork tenderloin with apricot glaze, or creamy goat cheese with honey and fresh herbs. |
| Cellaring | The 2024 Viognier Estate - Linda's Vineyard can be enjoyed now and will continue to develop beautifully over the next 3-5 years if stored in proper conditions. |
2023
Symphonie
Retail: $35.00
| Grape Blend and Source | 68% Viognier, 28% Picpoul Blanc, 4% Grenache Blanc Valley View, Nolan Vineyard, Santa Ynez, and La Presa 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 | Enticing aromas of quince, lemongrass, crab apple, banana, pink grapefruit, and pear. On the palate, ripe pear, dried apricot, nectarine, and white peach mesh beautifully with notes of white peppercorn, gingerroot, and Thai kaffir lime leaf and subtle hints of vanilla and cedar. |
| Winemaking Notes | The Viognier, Picpoul Blanc, and Grenache Blanc grapes in the 2023 Symphonie were hand-harvested from different vineyards in the last week of September and the second week of October 2023. Our winemaking team whole cluster 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. Also pairs beautifully with herb-marinated grilled shrimp, coconut curry with vegetables, or spicy Asian cuisine. |
| Cellaring | This wine should be enjoyed for the next 12-18 months and is not a candidate for long term aging. |
2021
Fred's Red
Retail: $70.00
| Grape Blend and Source | 72% Cabernet Franc, 28% Merlot Sunstone Estate Vineyard |
|---|---|
| Technical Specs | PH: 3.71 Acidity: 5.3 g/L Alcohol: 13.5% 18 months in 25% new French oak and 75% neutral oak |
| Case Production | 427 |
| Tasting Notes | This velvety smooth blend combines two of the region's finest varietals, Merlot and Cabernet Franc, creating a complex flavor profile that boasts intense aromas of dark berries, pepper and coffee beans. The palate reveals layers of blackberry, fresh fig, dark chocolate, and tobacco, with subtle hints of dried herbs and spice that unfold gracefully. |
| Winemaking Notes | The grape varietals for Sunstone's 2021 Fred's Red blend were hand harvested from Sunstone's Estate vineyard. All five blocks of fruit were made grape to wine in separate lots. During harvest October 2021, our team crushed, cold soaked, fermented, and pressed each of the two varietals by block separately as they were harvested. Each lot of wine was aged for four months before our trial blending to finalize the complexity of these characters, textures, and aromas prior to the actual blending in June 2022. |
| Food Pairing | Blackberry-Ancho Balsamic Glazed Lamb Chops with organic arugula and Brulée fresh fig. Also pairs beautifully with grilled ribeye, wild mushroom risotto, or aged hard cheeses. |
| Cellaring | The 2021 Fred's Red can be enjoyed now and for the next 8-15 years if stored in optimal conditions. |
2022
Fred's Red
Retail: $70.00
| Grape Blend and Source | 73% Merlot, 27% Cabernet Franc Sunstone Estate Vineyard |
|---|---|
| Technical Specs | PH: 3.78 Acidity: 5.5 g/L Alcohol: 13.6% 29 months in 28% new/72% neutral French oak |
| Case Production | 140 |
| Tasting Notes | Bold aromas of espresso and blackberry are complemented by notes of freshly ground pepper, boysenberry, and tobacco. Soft tannins on the palate with rich flavors of blackberry and dark cherry integrating seamlessly with cloves, fresh figs, dark chocolate, and huckleberry, and a long, warm finish |
| Winemaking Notes | The grape varietals for Sunstone's 2022 Fred's Red blend were hand harvested from the Sunstone Estate vineyard in Santa Ynez Valley. During harvest in October 2022, our team crushed, cold soaked, fermented, and pressed each of the two varietals separately as they were harvested. Our winemaker's yeasts of choice were BM45 & D80 which enhance sensory and tannin notes and characters of licorice, rich dark berry, black pepper, tobacco, licorice, and essence of the two varietals that are aged together. The wine was sent through malolactic fermentation to reduce the malic acid sharp acidity. The Fred’s Red finishes beautifully with the oak tannin characters of spice, earth, and smoked coffee beans. Our blend was aged in 28% new French oak, 72% neutral French oak for 29 months before bottling in March 2025. |
| Food Pairing | Filet mignon with wild mushroom sauce, duck breast with cherry reduction, beef bourguignon, herb-roasted root vegetables, or semi-hard aged cheeses like Gouda or Manchego. |
| Cellaring | The 2022 Fred's Red can be enjoyed now and will continue to develop complexity over the next 8-10 years if stored in optimal conditions. |
2022
Syrah, Estate
Retail: $70.00
| Grape Blend and Source | 100% Syrah Sunstone Estate (Blocks "E" & "F") |
|---|---|
| Technical Specs | PH: 3.9 Acidity: 6.2 g/L Alcohol: 12.7% 28 months in 20% new American oak, 15% new French oak, 65% neutral oak |
| Case Production | 278 |
| Tasting Notes | Complex aromas of blackberry and cranberry are complemented by warm toasted pecan, raspberry jam, anise, peppercorn, and cocoa. Rich flavors of plum, blackberry, and boysenberry integrate seamlessly with raspberry, cocoa nibs, peppercorn, black licorice, and a spicy, balanced finish. |
| Winemaking Notes | Sunstone's 2022 Syrah Estate grapes were hand harvested from the Sunstone Estate Vineyard, blocks "E" & "F", in Santa Ynez Valley. On October 20th, 2022, our team crushed the fruit together and cold soaked the grapes for two days before fermenting them and pressing the wine as we racked the wines to new and neutral French and American Oak barrels for aging. Our winemaker's yeast of choice was GRE-IVC which enhances sensory focus of dark plum, berry, crushed pepper, and floral essence to the characters of the Syrah varietal for a more aromatic balance. |
| Food Pairing | Herb-crusted rack of lamb, slow-braised short ribs, venison with blackberry reduction, portobello mushroom burgers, or aged blue cheeses. |
| Cellaring | The 2022 Syrah Estate can be enjoyed now and will continue to develop beautifully over the next 8-12 years if stored in proper conditions. |
Important Dates
Last Day for Credit Card & Address Changes, and Bottle Swaps
April 28
Credit Cards are Charged
April 29
Club Orders Available for Pickup
May 9
Non-pickup orders Shipped out
May 12