WINE CLUB NEWSLETTERSEPTEMBER 2018

CLUB SUNSTONE LEGACY

ALL REDS:(2) 2016 Milestone

(1) 2016 Mason Cuvée

MIXED:(1) 2016 Milestone

(1) 2016 Mason Cuvée(1) 2017 Chardonnay

CLUB SUNSTONE RELEASE SEPTEMBER 2018

ALL REDS:(3) 2016 Milestone

(3) 2016 Mason Cuvée

MIXED:(2) 2016 Milestone

(2) 2016 Mason Cuvée(2) 2017 Chardonnay

CLUB SUNSTONE HERITAGE

HARVEST UPDATE

Harvest is almost upon us! Recently, we have started seeing veraison throughout the Sunstone vineyard. This week we were approximately 30% through the process of “coloring up”. For a winemaker, nothing signals the ground-rush sensation of an impending harvest like the coloring of the crop. This is Mother Nature’s way of announcing: “It’s on!” We have a lot of work to do to get ready for harvest, including bottling several wines from the 2016 and 2017 vintages. We bottle these, as they are ready to get out of barrel or tank storage, and because the wines need to stop the rapid evolution we see in barrel and start the slow and steady improvement we get in the bottle. The 2018 crop is looking very strong. Flowering and fruit set looked great, and we are set up for great quality and quantity. We have experienced some pretty warm days over the past few weeks, but most winemakers are still predicting that we will be a couple of weeks behind last year. In addition to monitoring fruit, we are working to prepare the winery for the upcoming crush. We are furiously cleaning barrels, tanks and bins, and bottling as much as we can to make way for our new fruit. Anyone who is planning to visit the Sunstone Estate during the harvest should get a chance to check out the young fermentations and the one-year-old wine in barrels to see them in both of those states. It’s a great thing to be able to manage a wine through this process, and I really love to give others a taste of the experience. Happy Harvest 2018 and Cheers!

- Matt Smith, Winemaker

Club Sunstone: Vintners Selection Release(1) 2016 Cabernet Franc, Estate

$35.00 Retail$28.00 Legacy & Heritage Member

$50.00 Retail$40.00 Legacy & Heritage Member

2017 Chardonnay

COMPOSITION

50% 2017 Chardonnay, La Presa Vineyard, Santa Barbara County

50% 2017 Chardonnay, Goodchild Vineyard, Santa Barbara County

TASTING NOTES

Granny Smith Apples, lemon curd, pineapple, and warm vanilla leap out of the glass. The palate

is full bodied with sweet citrus notes, butterscotch, green melon, and light oak toast. Glossy

mouthfeel and a long lingering finish make this Chardonnay incredibly elegant and well balanced.

WINEMAKING

The grapes were gently pressed off the skins in a zero-oxygen environment to preserve freshness

and prevent premature oxidation. Once cold settled the wine was racked and fermented in

stainless steel at a chilling 50 degrees using a combination of wild type and commercial yeasts for

almost 6 weeks. A small portion of the wine was native fermented in neutral French oak barrels.

Post fermentation the wine was stored in all neutral French oak barrels for 7 months where it

underwent periodic “batonnage” which is a process of homogenizing the lees with the finished

wine to enhance mouthfeel and create a sense of creaminess. The wine was blended to taste and

bottled in August 2018.

2016 Mason Cuvée

COMPOSITION

84% Merlot, Santa Ynez Valley

8% Cabernet Franc, Santa Ynez Valley

8% Syrah, Santa Ynez Valley

TASTING NOTES

Fresh plum, black and blueberries, and wild raspberries with a touch of smoke on the nose. The

Syrah provides a touch of black pepper, leather, and smoked meat. The wine finishes long and

has accents of dried violets, French oak, and medium + acidity to balance the rich fruit flavors.

WINEMAKING

Grapes for the 2016 Mason Cuvée come from across the Sunstone Estate. Each lot was hand-

picked at night and delivered to the winery in the early morning. The fruit was then destemmed

and lightly crushed into a combination of stainless steel fermenters and small fermentation boxes

where it was left to cold settle for a few days before being inoculated to start fermentation.

During fermentation each lot was given twice daily attention either by pumpover or punchdown.

After fermentation the lots were gently pressed off the skin with minimal tumbling to limit harsh

seed tannins from entering the finished wine. After aging in a combination of neutral and new

French oak barrels for 20 months the lots were blended to taste and bottled in August 2018.

2016 Milestone

COMPOSITION

75% Merlot, Santa Ynez Valley

20% Cabernet Franc, Santa Ynez Valley

5% Cabernet Sauvignon, Santa Ynez Valley

TASTING NOTES

Aromas of mixed berry jam, baking spices, and sage are complemented by black currants,

plum, dried figs and sturdy tannins on the palate. This year’s Milestone blend is complex yet

sophisticated enough to pair with classic French cuisine or an afternoon in the courtyard.

WINEMAKING

Grapes for the 2016 Milestone come from across the Sunstone Estate. Each lot was hand-picked

at night and delivered to the winery in the early morning. The fruit was then destemmed and

lightly crushed into stainless steel tanks where they were left to cold settle for a few days before

being inoculated to start fermentation. During fermentation each lot was given twice daily gentle

pumpovers to extract color and flavor from the skins. After fermentation the lots were gently

pressed off the skin with minimal tumbling to limit harsh seed tannins from entering the finished

wine. After aging in a combination of neutral and new French oak barrels for 20 months the lots

were blended to taste and bottled in August 2018.

$50.00 Retail$40.00 Legacy & Heritage Member

2016 Cabernet Franc, Estate

COMPOSITION

100% Cabernet Franc, Sunstone Estate, Santa Ynez Valley

TASTING NOTES

Licorice, leather, crushed cranberries, sweet tobacco, and black cherry aromas. Warm French

vanilla, wild blueberries, clove, anise, and lingonberry are framed by soft tannins and medium

acidity. Our tiny Cabernet Franc lot is highly sought after and prized for its balance of fruit and

terroir.

WINEMAKING

The 2016 Estate Cabernet Franc, located on the western most edge of the Sunstone Estate, was hand-

picked the night coming into October 12th, 2016. Once received, the fruit was destemmed and gently

crushed into a single stainless-steel fermentation tank. The must was left to cold soak for three days

before initiating fermentation to assist in color extraction. During fermentation the wine received

twice daily pumpovers until the optimal level of color and flavor was extracted. Post-fermentation

the wine was gently pressed off the skins with minimal tumbling to reduce the impact of harsh seed

tannins. The overall barrel lot consisted of about 40% new French Oak. After 20 months of barrel

aging the three highest quality barrels were selected to blend together and bottle in August 2018.

*Please note - This is a Club Sunstone: Vintners Selection bottle ONLY. To receive this bottle in your September

club shipment, Vintners Selection must have been added-on to your current Club Sunstone membership prior

to September release.

$70.00 Retail$56.00 Legacy & Heritage Member

Save the Date!

Stomp 2018Saturday, October 6th

8:30am -1:00pm

our signature annual eventMore details coming soon!

Upgrade to Founders Club- Stay at the Villa!

Due to strong demand for our world renowned Sunstone Villa, we have decided to limit access to overnight stays to members of our Founders Club (12 bottles per shipment).

The great news is we are offering you, our Legacy and Heritage Club Members, the first opportunity to upgrade your membership to a limited availability Founders Club membership.

For more information please contact Club Sunstone. (805) 688-9463 ext 401 Club@sunstonewinery.com

For those members that upgrade to a Founders membership before August 29th, 2018 we would like to thank you for your

dedication to us, with a one night stay in a Villa suite for two guests.

UPGRADE NOW

Now accepting reservations for 2018 Holiday Experiences

Contact Amanda Landon for group packages and availability. (805) 688-9463 ext 230 amanda@sunstonewinery.com

Transport your family, friends or employees to the French countryside for a private, upscale experience this holiday

season at our world renowned Sunstone Villa.

From small family gatherings to wine and culinary experiences for large companies, Sunstone has several distinct areas of the

winery that can be reserved this holiday season.

125 N Refugio Rd. Santa Ynez, CA 93460 (805) 688-9463 www.sunstonewinery.comFollow us on Twitter, Facebook and Instagram

Book Now