CELEBRATING HARVEST & OUR NEW WINEMAKER
We are in the home stretch of Harvest season here in the Santa Ynez Valley! Throughout the year, our vines have benefitted from a long, consistent growing season characterized by a milder-than-normal summer with few major heat events, allowing for slow, measured ripening of the grapes.
As October unfolds with that telltale autumn chill, we are nearing completion of the 2025 Harvest over the next couple weeks. All of our white grapes have already made their journey from vine to tank, and they’re settling in beautifully. Now all eyes are on our Estate reds, which are soaking up these final warm days and cool nights to develop those rich, complex flavors we love.
We can’t wait to share these wines with you in the coming years. In the meantime, we have some major announcements to share with you!
Welcome Our New Winemaker
Just before the start of this year’s Harvest, we welcomed our new Director of Winemaking, Michael Miroballi, to the Sunstone family! Michael succeeds Brittany Rice, who led our winemaking team from 2019 through this summer when she embarked on a new entrepreneurial journey.
Michael is a Santa Ynez Valley native with more than 16 years of winemaking experience. Known for blending artistry with precision, he creates wines that reflect both elegance and terroir. His career includes nearly a decade as Head Winemaker at Margerum Wine Company, where his wines achieved multiple Wine Spectator and Wine Enthusiast Top 100 accolades.
You will be able to taste the first of Michael’s Sunstone wines beginning in February with the release of our 2025 Sauvignon Blanc. In the meantime, during your next visit to the tasting room he may just stop by your table to say ‘hello’ or share his passion and knowledge that embody the pride and heritage of the Santa Ynez Valley!
Join Us at the Estate This Fall
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 25th: Halloween Movie Night: The Addams Family
- November 1st: Sunstone’s 4th Annual Haunted Ball
- November 7th: Fall Member Pickup Party
- November 7th to 9th: Fall Club Release Weekend
- November 28th to December 1st: Black Friday Weekend: Our Biggest Sale of the Year
- December 13th & 14th: Sunstone’s Annual Holiday Market
Your Fall Shipment
On to the details of your next wine club shipment!
All Reserve Club members will receive the newly released 2023 Estate Merlot, one of our four signature wines, as well as the new 2022 Cabernet Sauvignon, SYV. Members that have chosen the Mixed option will also receive the new 2024 Pinot Grigio and new 2022 Zephyr, while Red Only members will also receive the 2021 Carmelo, rated 93 Points and named Editors’ Choice by Wine Enthusiast.
Thank you again for your continued support. Read below for more details on all the wines in your upcoming release. Cheers!
2024
Pinot Grigio
Retail: $30
| Grape Blend and Source | 100% Pinot Grigio Lucas & Lewellen Vineyard, Los Alamos |
|---|---|
| Technical Specs | pH: 3.39 Acidity: 6.1 g/L Alcohol: 14.1% 10 months in stainless steel barrels |
| Case Production | 658 |
| Tasting Notes | This expressive Pinot Grigio showcases vibrant aromas of white peach, stone fruit, baked apple, aged parmesan, wet stone, and pineapple. The wine presents a silky, glyceryl palate that balances richness with refreshing minerality. Layers of orchard fruit and subtle tropical notes unfold gracefully, while the wine's natural acidity provides structure and verve. The finish is clean and persistent, leaving impressions of citrus zest and crisp stone fruit that invite another sip. |
| Winemaking Notes | The 2024 Pinot Grigio grapes were sourced from Lucas & Lewellen Vineyard in the Los Alamos district of Santa Barbara County, where foggy mornings transition to warm afternoons, creating ideal conditions for developing concentrated flavors while maintaining crisp acidity. The fruit was carefully fermented in stainless steel barrels to preserve its delicate aromatics and fresh character. The wine was aged on its lees in stainless steel for 10 months until bottling, a technique that enhanced texture and mouthfeel while maintaining the bright, food-friendly profile that makes Pinot Grigio so versatile. |
| Food Pairing | Grilled Branzino with lemon herb butter, served alongside roasted fingerling potatoes and a crisp arugula salad with shaved fennel and citrus vinaigrette |
| Cellaring | The 2024 Pinot Grigio is best enjoyed now and over the next 12-18 months to capture its fresh, vibrant character at peak expression. This wine is crafted for near-term enjoyment rather than extended aging. |
2023
Merlot, Estate
Retail: $70
| Grape Blend and Source | 100% Merlot Sunstone Estate Vineyard, Santa Ynez Valley |
|---|---|
| Technical Specs | pH: 3.69 Acidity: 5.4 g/L Alcohol: 13.6% 21 months in 100% French oak (20% new, 20% two-year-old, 60% neutral barrels) |
| Case Production | 962 |
| Tasting Notes | This elegant Estate Merlot reveals captivating aromas of red plum, rose petals, and dried flowers, interwoven with notes of subtle black tea, currants, and blackberry. On the palate, the wine is refined and graceful, displaying soft tannins and balanced acidity that frame flavors of ripe red fruit, dark berries, and hints of baking spice. The mouthfeel is silky and approachable, with a finish that lingers with echoes of plum, tea leaf, and gentle oak. This is a Merlot that showcases both the varietal's inherent elegance and the distinctive character of our estate vineyard. |
| Winemaking Notes | The 2023 Estate Merlot was hand-harvested from our Sunstone Estate vineyard over the course of two weeks, allowing each block to reach optimal ripeness. Individual vineyard blocks were fermented separately in open-top fermenters with gentle punch-downs by hand to extract color and tannin while maintaining elegance. Each lot was then barreled separately in a combination of 40% new and 60% neutral French Oak barrels. After 13 months of aging, the wine was carefully blended and returned to barrel for an additional 8 months before bottling. This extended élevage and thoughtful barrel program resulted in a wine of remarkable balance and complexity that truly expresses our estate terroir. |
| Food Pairing | Herb-crusted lamb chops with rosemary demi-glace, served with roasted root vegetables and creamy polenta finished with aged parmesan |
| Cellaring | The 2023 Estate Merlot can be enjoyed now for its fresh fruit character or cellared for 5-8 years to develop additional complexity and tertiary notes. With proper storage conditions, this wine will continue to evolve gracefully. |
2021
Carmelo
93 Points - Wine Enthusiast
Retail: $70
| Grape Blend and Source | 68% Cabernet Franc, 22% Syrah, 10% Grenache 41% Great Oaks, 22% Leiff, 20% Coquelicot, 11% Rancho del Prado, 3% Camp 4, 3% Pear Valley 96% Santa Ynez Valley, 4% Paso Robles |
|---|---|
| Technical Specs | pH: 3.76 Acidity: 5.2 g/L Alcohol: 14.3% 23 months in 25% new French oak, 20% new American oak, and 55% neutral oak |
| Case Production | 368 |
| Tasting Notes | This distinctive blend of 68% Cabernet Franc, 22% Syrah, and 10% Grenache is both fresh and serious, starting with vibrant aromas of boysenberry and blueberry that are balanced by a crushed rock minerality. That mineral tension holds firm through the sip, where blueberry and lilac flavors align with remarkable precision. The wine showcases the harmonious marriage of Bordeaux and Rhône varietals, creating a unique expression that is both structured and elegantly aromatic. Layers of dark fruit, floral notes, and distinctive minerality unfold on the palate, leading to a finish that is both powerful and refined. |
| Winemaking Notes | Sunstone's 2021 Carmelo blend brings together three varietals—one Bordeaux varietal and two Rhône-style varietals—sourced from six exceptional vineyard sites across Santa Barbara County and Paso Robles. All varietals were hand-harvested between September and October 2021. Our team crushed the fruit individually, fermenting each lot separately to preserve varietal character, then blended the wine in February 2022. For the fermentations, we used an assortment of yeasts including D80, BM45, and Rhône 4600, along with carefully selected nutrients to balance the layers and complexity. Each of these yeast strains provides unique texture and character to enhance the wine's full-bodied potential, contributing sensory notes of dark berry, star anise, black pepper, espresso, while also adding to the floral, spice, and fruit aromatic balance. The wine was aged in 25% new French Oak barrels, 20% new American Oak, and 55% neutral oak. The wine underwent full malolactic fermentation to reduce sharp malic acidity and create a rounder mouthfeel. Our 2021 Carmelo was bottled in December 2022. |
| Food Pairing | Braised Beef Stew with Carrots, Leeks, Onions, Collard Greens, Potatoes and Tomatoes |
| Cellaring | The 2021 Carmelo can be enjoyed now for its vibrant fruit and mineral character, or cellared for 5-7 years to develop additional complexity and tertiary notes. With proper storage conditions, this wine will continue to evolve gracefully, revealing deeper layers of spice, earth, and aged fruit characteristics. |
2022
Zephyr
Retail: $45
| Grape Blend and Source | 70% Malbec, 22% Cabernet Sauvignon, 8% Cabernet Franc Sunstone Estate and Partner Vineyards, Santa Barbara County |
|---|---|
| Technical Specs | pH: 3.68 Acidity: 5.8 g/L Alcohol: 14.5% 28 months in 100% French oak (26% new, 74% neutral barrels) |
| Case Production | 567 |
| Tasting Notes | This Malbec-inspired blend captivates with aromas of black cherry, red plum, and rhubarb, complemented by intriguing notes of cola and hints of black pepper. On the palate, the wine reveals its depth and complexity with layers of dark fruit, spice, and subtle herbal nuances. Velvety tannins provide structure without weight, while the wine's natural acidity keeps the experience fresh and vibrant. The finish is long and satisfying, with lingering impressions of dark cherry, baking spice, and a whisper of black pepper that speaks to the wine's careful oak aging and thoughtful blending. |
| Winemaking Notes | The 2022 Zephyr is a Malbec-inspired blend crafted from three noble varietals, hand-harvested from our Sunstone Estate and select partner vineyards throughout Santa Barbara County. The fruit was gently destemmed and fermented in open-top fermenters, with manual punch-downs performed twice daily for 12 days to achieve optimal extraction. Following fermentation, the wine was racked to 100% French oak barrels—26% new and 74% neutral—where it underwent full malolactic fermentation and aged for 28 months. This extended élevage allowed the wine to develop remarkable complexity and integration, with the new oak contributing subtle spice notes while the neutral barrels preserved the wine's pure fruit expression and elegant structure. |
| Food Pairing | Grilled ribeye steak with chimichurri sauce, accompanied by roasted garlic mashed potatoes and charred broccolini with lemon zest |
| Cellaring | The 2022 Zephyr can be enjoyed now for its vibrant fruit and supple tannins, or cellared for 4-6 years to allow further development of secondary and tertiary characteristics. With proper storage conditions, this wine will reward patience with increased complexity and elegance. |
2022
Cabernet Sauvignon, Santa Ynez Valley
Retail: $45
| Grape Blend and Source | 100% Cabernet Sauvignon Partner Vineyards, Santa Ynez Valley |
|---|---|
| Technical Specs | pH: 3.83 Acidity: 5.4 g/L Alcohol: 14.2% 28 months in 88% French oak and 12% American oak (24% new, 24% one-year-old, 52% neutral barrels) |
| Case Production | 409 |
| Tasting Notes | This refined Santa Ynez Valley Cabernet Sauvignon showcases the elegance and complexity for which the region is known. Aromas of fresh red berries, cherries, and cranberry compote mingle with graphite, finely layered cedar, and tobacco leaf. On the palate, the wine reveals bright red fruit complemented by subtle notes of cassis, dried herbs, and baking spice. Smooth, fine tannins stretch out an elegant structure that lingers gracefully on the palate, while balanced acidity provides freshness and length. The finish is persistent and refined, leaving impressions of red fruit, cedar, and a whisper of minerality that speaks to the wine's terroir-driven character. |
| Winemaking Notes | The 2022 Santa Ynez Valley Cabernet Sauvignon was hand-harvested from select partner vineyards known for producing exceptional fruit. The grapes were gently destemmed and fermented in open-top fermenters, with manual punch-downs performed twice daily for 12 days to extract color, flavor, and tannin while maintaining finesse. Following fermentation, the wine was racked three times during its 28-month élevage in a combination of 88% French oak and 12% American oak barrels. The barrel program—24% new, 24% one-year-old, and 52% neutral—was carefully designed to enhance the wine's natural complexity while preserving its fruit purity and elegant structure. This extended aging period allowed the wine to achieve remarkable integration and balance. |
| Food Pairing | Braised short ribs with red wine reduction, served over creamy parmesan risotto with roasted wild mushrooms and fresh thyme |
| Cellaring | The 2022 Santa Ynez Valley Cabernet Sauvignon can be enjoyed now for its vibrant fruit and refined structure, or cellared for 5-7 years to develop additional complexity and bottle age. With proper storage conditions, this wine will continue to evolve gracefully, revealing secondary and tertiary characteristics over time. |
Important Dates
Last Day for Credit Card & Address Changes, and Bottle Swaps
October 27
Credit Cards are Charged
October 28
Club Orders Available for Pickup
November 7
Non-pickup orders Shipped out
November 10