SUMMER FUN WITH NEW WINES & NEW BENEFITS
Summer is here at Sunstone, and our vineyard is enjoying the warm days of the Santa Ynez Valley. Over the next few months, the grapes will continue to ripen, preparing for the upcoming harvest and another unforgettable vintage of Sunstone wine.
Your Summer break isn’t complete without a visit to Sunstone—come enjoy some of your time off with us. Our exciting schedule of events offers something special for everyone. Here’s what we have planned through summer and into fall!
Exciting Events at the Estate
- July 19th: Villa Open House- Free Tour
- July 25th: Winemaker Dinner in La Cav Tickets Running Out!
- August 8th to 10th: Rapsodie Release Weekend
- August 30th: Summer White Party
- September 27th: STOMP Member Harvest Party Tickets on Sale August 5th!
- October 25th: Halloween Movie Night
- November 1st: Haunted Ball: Angels & Demons
Wine Club “Swap” with Carhartt
As we indicated to you in an email at the beginning of the month, we are bringing back the “member swaps” benefit in collaboration with other local wineries.
Throughout July, Sunstone members can enjoy their complimentary tasting benefit at our neighbor, Carhartt Family Wines, just ten minutes down the road. It’s our way of saying thank you by extending your member perks beyond Sunstone, creating even more memorable wine-tasting experiences for you at no extra cost.
To take advantage of this complimentary tasting for two at Carhartt, simply show them the email by July 31. Stay tuned, as we hope to bring you even more special partnerships like this in the future!
New Summer Shipping Option
Wine’s biggest enemy is heat. Shipping wine during the hot summer months has always posed challenges, as prolonged exposure to high temperatures has the potential to negatively impact the quality of your wines. Traditionally, we have addressed this issue by shipping your wines with dry ice packs capable of keeping your wine cool for up to 48 hours. Sometimes though, wines occasionally arrived overheated if shipments took longer than anticipated.
We’re excited to announce that we now offer two additional solutions to safeguard your wine during warm weather. First, for destinations outside California, you can choose to have your wine shipped via a temperature-controlled, refrigerated shipping option for an additional $5.00, ensuring ideal conditions all the way to your local delivery hub. Alternatively, you can choose to delay your shipment entirely, selecting a future date when temperatures are cooler, or simply combine it with your next Fall shipment at no additional cost.
To utilize one of these two new options, just reach out to us at club@sunstonewinery.com.
Your Summer Club Release
On to the details of your next wine shipment!
All Signature Club members will receive the newly released 2023 Rapsodie, our signature Rhone-style GSM blend with the jazzy art label, as well as the new 2022 Alectrona blend. Members that have chosen the Mixed option will also receive the 2023 Chardonnay Reserve, while Red Only members will also receive the new 2022 Soleil Rouge.
Thank you again for your continued support. Read below for more details on all the wines in your upcoming release. Cheers!
Chardonnay Reserve
Retail: $45
| Grape Blend and Source | 100% Chardonnay (Clone 76) Hilltop Ranch Vineyard, Sta Rita Hills |
|---|---|
| Technical Specs | pH: 3.54 Acidity: 6.6 g/L Alcohol: 14% 9 months in four-year-old French oak barrels |
| Case Production | 261 |
| Tasting Notes | This elegant Chardonnay captivates with aromas of butterscotch, pineapple, guava, and plumeria tropical flower, enhanced by white grapefruit notes. The palate reveals layers of pineapple, nectarine, guava, peach, grapefruit, butterscotch, and green apple. Light-bodied with low tannins and medium acidity, this wine finishes dry and crisp with excellent balance across the front, middle, and finish. |
| Winemaking Notes | Hand-harvested from a 50-year-old vineyard stewarded by multi-generational family farmers, our Clone 76 Chardonnay grapes were whole cluster pressed and fermented for 14 days in stainless steel tanks. The wine was then racked into 100% four-year-old French oak barrels from two different coopers. CY3079 and BA11 yeast strains were selected to enhance tropical fruit, butterscotch, pineapple, guava, apricot, grapefruit, and floral characteristics. The ancient sandy alluvial soils, unique to Santa Barbara County and located on the edge of the Santa Ynez River basin, contribute to this wine's distinctive character. |
| Food Pairing | Seared Lobster & Sea Scallops with Champagne Thyme White Truffle Reduction Sauce served with garlic lemon orzo |
| Cellaring | The 2024 Chardonnay Reserve can be enjoyed now and for up to two additional years if stored in proper conditions. |
Rapsodie
Retail: $70
| Grape Blend and Source | 54% Grenache, 28% Syrah, 18% Mourvèdre Nolan Vineyard, Alisos Canyon |
|---|---|
| Technical Specs | pH: 3.82 Acidity: 5.2 g/L Alcohol: 14% 20 months in 45% new French oak, 20% new American oak, 35% neutral oak |
| Case Production | 679 cases |
| Tasting Notes | This expressive Rhône-style blend is deeply layered and beautifully balanced. Aromatics lead with a floral lift of lavender, supported by vibrant red berries, peppercorn, spice, and subtle hints of espresso and cedar. The palate is rich yet elegant, showing soft tannins, moderate acidity, and a generous mid-palate of licorice, ripe cherry, and cocoa. The finish is long and refined, with lingering notes of toasted oak, earth, and dark chocolate, revealing complexity from both terroir and extended barrel aging. |
| Winemaking Notes | Hand-harvested on October 16th, 2023, from Nolan Vineyard in the Alisos Canyon AVA, all three varietals were co-fermented in a single stainless-steel tank to build complexity and harmony from the start. After a cold soak, fermentation began using ICV-GRE and BM45 yeasts, selected to enhance aromatic intensity, mid-palate weight, and tannin structure. Following fermentation, the wine was gently pressed, settled, and racked into French and American oak barrels. Full malolactic fermentation softened the acidity and added a rounder mouthfeel. The wine was bottled on June 19th, 2025. |
| Food Pairing | Roasted Duck & Apricot Cassoulet, garlic mashed potatoes and sesame orange dressing drizzled over finely chopped kale, green apple, currant salad |
| Cellaring | The 2023 Rapsodie can be enjoyed for the next 5-7 years if stored in optimal conditions. |
Villa Reserve
Retail: $70
| Grape Blend and Source | 44% Merlot, Cabernet Franc, 18% Syrah Sunstone Estate Vineyard |
|---|---|
| Technical Specs | pH: 3.86 Acidity: 5.9 g/L Alcohol: 13.7% 20 months in 2% new/98% neutral French oak |
| Case Production | 103 cases |
| Tasting Notes | This popular Estate blend has aromas of cherry, hibiscus, and blackberry, supported by tobacco, peppercorn, spice, and subtle hints of espresso and cedar. The palate is rich yet elegant, showing soft tannins, moderate acidity, and a generous mid-palate of licorice, ripe cherry, and cocoa, leading to a long and refined finish with lingering notes of toasted oak and dark chocolate. |
| Winemaking Notes | Hand-harvested on October 13th, 2022, from our Sunstone Estate Vineyard, all three Villa vineyard block varietals were co-fermented in a single stainless-steel tank to integrate and build complexity from the start. After a cold soak, fermentation began using ICV-GRE yeast, selected to enhance aromatic intensity, mid-palate weight, and tannin structure. Following fermentation, the wine was gently pressed, settled, and racked into French and American oak barrels. Full malolactic fermentation softened the acidity and created a rounder mouthfeel. Bottling was completed on June 19th, 2025. |
| Food Pairing | Baked gnocchi with bacon, tomato and mozzarella topped with crunchy fried basil leaves |
| Cellaring | The 2022 Villa Reserve can be enjoyed now and for the next 6-8 years if stored in proper conditions. |
Petite Sirah Reserve
Retail: $55
| Grape Blend and Source | 100% Petite Sirah Nolan Vineyard (Alisos Canyon) and La Presa Vineyard (Santa Ynez) |
|---|---|
| Technical Specs | pH: 3.68 Acidity: 5.9 g/L Alcohol: 14.3% 20 months in French oak (2% new; 98% neutral) |
| Case Production | 293 cases |
| Tasting Notes | This Petite Sirah opens with aromas of lilac, followed by vibrant notes of ripe dark plum, black peppercorn, clove, earthy fig, cherry, hibiscus, and açaí berry, and subtle touches of espresso and cedar. On the palate, notes of licorice, ripe cherry, and cocoa lead to a long finish with lingering notes of black pepper, smoky earth, dark chocolate, and black licorice. |
| Winemaking Notes | Hand-harvested between September 19th and October 27th, 2022 from two distinct vineyards in Santa Barbara County, each vineyard lot was processed separately in stainless steel tanks and blended six months post-fermentation to create complexity. After a cold soak, fermentation was initiated using BM45 and Rhone 2226 yeasts, chosen to enhance aromatic intensity, mid-palate richness, and structured tannins. The wine was gently pressed, settled, and racked into French and American oak barrels. Full malolactic fermentation followed, and the wine was bottled on June 20th, 2025. |
| Food Pairing | Pasta alla Carbonara, especially when topped with melted smoked gouda and crispy garlic-thyme prosciutto shavings |
| Cellaring | The 2022 Petite Sirah can be enjoyed now and for the next 4 to 5 years if stored in proper conditions. |
