October
2005--Wine Recommendations
Santa Barbara Virtual Tasting Room—Sunstone
Vineyards & Winery
By
Thom Elkjer, Wine Editor
Sunstone Winery, as the name implies,
offers one of the warmer welcomes in Santa Ynez Valley. The Rice
family also offers two refreshing diversions from the valley’s usual
fare: the entire estate vineyard is farmed organically (and always
has been), and it produces some very persuasive Sauvignon Blanc
and Merlot in a region dominated by Rhône grapes. Open seven days,
10:00 – 4:00,
125 Refugio Road, Santa Ynez, 805-688-9463. Here are four wines
you are likely to encounter:
 |
Sunstone Sauvignon Blanc Santa Barbara
2004 ($19): a pleasing aromatic medley of melon, apple,
grass, oak and minerality; in your mouth, the flavors darken
into the ample body and soft texture and continue to integrated
into the long finish. |
 |
Sunstone Syrah Santa Ynez Valley Estate Bottled 2002 ($25): concentrated
aromas and flavors of black plums and dark cherries mixed with
baking spices and some oak-injected vanilla; the aromas are
sweeter and blend better right out of the bottle, but the flavors
open out into an expansive harmony after an hour in the decanter.
|
 |
Sunstone Syrah Santa Barbara “Rapsodie
du Soleil” 2002 ($28): very ripe red and black
berries are evident in the aromas and flavors, enriched by
a healthy dollop of Mourvedre; serious French oak almost
caramelizes the mid-palate, indicating that the wine needs
time in the cellar or hours in the decanter. |
 |
Sunstone Merlot Santa Ynez Valley Estate
Bottled 2003 ($29): from the brilliant garnet color to
the full-flavored finish that reprises the aromas and flavors
of red fruit, tobacco and cedar, whole clove and gunpowder,
this is an artfully-made wine with plenty of ripe tannins
to coat your teeth now or keep the wine firmly structured
in the cellar. |
| Related WineCountry Features |
|
