Stolpman Vineyards
Stolpman Vineyards
AboutStolpman Vineyards
Tom and Marilyn Stolpman purchased their Ballard Canyon property in 1990 after searching Santa Barbara County for limestone near the Pacific. Syrah and Roussanne grow on the estate’s exposed limestone, cooled by winds from the Pacific. Pete Stolpman took over day-to-day management in 2009, shifting more of the vineyard from grape sales into estate wine production.
Vineyard work is done by hand, with little, if any, irrigation; in the cellar, fermentation uses native yeasts with minimal handling. For the So Fresh wines, grapes are picked early and fermented whole and uncrushed, then bottled early without added sulphur. The year-round vineyard crew, La Cuadrilla, shares in profits from its namesake wine.
Stolpman Vineyards 2019 Para Maria de las Tecolotes
American Red
$49.99
Berry juice, pepper and thyme give a savoury profile with fruit purity and spicy complexity. Syrah makes up eighty percent of the blend, with Petit Verdot comprising the remaining twenty percent. The fruit was carefully selected for the bottling. The vineyards lie in Santa Barbara County, where the growers responsible for the fruit have cultivated vines at the estate since the mid-1990s.
Stolpman Vineyards 2019 So Fresh Crunchy Roastie
American Red
$54.99
Blackberry, strawberry and blueberry appear with cherry candy and floral perfume. The palate is light to medium-bodied, bright and fresh, with a soft frame and juicy finish. This red combines ninety-five percent Syrah with five percent Viognier. Winemaking uses whole berries and whole clusters for carbonic fermentation, with ageing in large neutral vats. The vineyard is farmed organically, and alcohol is 12.5 percent.
Stolpman Vineyards 2019 So Fresh Love You Bunches Sangiovese
American Red
$54.99
Cherry sour candy and tart berry appear with crunchy red fruit and zippy tannins. The wine is darker and more giving than the preceding vintage, with high acidity and 12.8 percent alcohol. Organically farmed Sangiovese from Ballard Canyon undergoes carbonic maceration. Raspberry, crushed stone and freshness are also present in the profile, together with light herbs.
Stolpman Vineyards 2020 So Fresh GDG Gamay
American Red
$62.99
Bright, clear red colour accompanies high-toned fruit, pine and hop notes. Rhubarb, salted plum, oregano and dried rose petals appear with a savoury side and crunchy texture. The Gamay comes from own-rooted vines planted in Ballard Canyon. Carbonic maceration is used, and no sulphur is added. Some fruit is sourced elsewhere in Santa Barbara County.
Stolpman Vineyards 2021 Uni White
American White
$61.99
Cantaloupe, white flowers and Asian pear lead, followed by golden pineapple and tangerine. The palate is full and textural but held in balance by crisp acidity, with lime pith, melon and a cool mineral line through the finish. A polished white for shellfish, sushi, roast chicken or richer vegetable dishes.