Orange County Wine-Welcoming Jill Murat of Sunstone Vineyard and winery of Santa Barbara!

"Our goal was to create a place where wine and food could be enjoyed in a picturesque atmosphere."  “Camaraderie and a sense of sharing is so much a part of this lifestyle.  All of our interests, from environmental preservation and organic growing, to the celebration of food, family, and friends have come together here at Sunstone. We have found our home.”  Linda Rice, owner.

When Fred and Linda Rice and their three children moved in 1989 from Santa Barbara to a peaceful 55-acre Santa Ynez ranch to grow wine grapes, little did they know that they would end up happily presiding over one of the largest organic vineyard estates in Santa Barbara County. Today, Sunstone Vineyards and Winery devotes its entire 77 acre estate to organic grape growing. The Rices’ sun-dappled acreage, planted to Rhone and Bordeaux varietals, meets all California Certified Organic Farmer (C.C.O.F.) standards.

The Rice family,along with consulting winemaker Daniel Gehrs, have become adept at growing organic fruit and producing high-quality estate wines. Before coming to Sunstone, Gehrs created a Syrah for Zaca Mesa Winery that was heralded by Wine Spectator as one of the top ten wines in the world.

Fred and Linda, along with son Bion, who is now President of the winery, and daughters Ashley and Brittany, originally chose the terraced site overlooking the Santa Ynez River for its ideal south-sloping exposure, its sandy, rocky soil, and a microclimate that features early morning fog, warm, breezy afternoons, and cool evenings. It proved to be a fortuitous choice, as they soon discovered that it was a perfect spot for the growing of top-notch organic grapes and enjoying a country lifestyle.

Sunstone is renowned for its Rhone varietals, including Viognier, which received a Gold Medal at the San Francisco Wine Competition, and their unique Syrah that rated 90 Points at the Wine Enthusiast’s Beverage Testing Institute. Highly acclaimed “Eros”, a Meritage blend of Merlot, Cabernet Franc, and Cabernet Sauvignon, has earned Best of Class at the Los Angeles County Fair, and also received 90 Points in Wine Enthusiast. Sunstone has also been honored by the Santa Barbara Independent reader poll as "Santa Barbara's Favorite Red Wine" for the last three years in a row.

For more information, please visit their website at www.sunstonewinery.com.

Join us as we taste these fabulous wines!  Tasting fee is $15 for 7 wines with treats!