Stolpman Vineyards’ 2024 “Cuadrilla Especial” is an attractive blend, and an excellent value, but it comes with a fascinating, uplifting background story.
It was the centerpiece in a tasting of the winery’s “Estate Group” offered at the Los Olivos tasting room.
If, like me, you figured out what “especial” means but needed some help with “cuadrilla,” you will learn that it refers to the team, the vineyard crew that stands behind the wine.
Stolpman Vineyards is one of the few wineries dedicated to seeing that all of its vineyard workers are employed year round. Not seasonal. The winery’s objective is to provide stability to their vineyard workers and their families.
There are no tractors or harvesting machines, just people.
Stolpman Background
In 1990, Tom and Marilyn Stolpman were searching for vineyard sites. A successful LA attorney with an interest in Rhone wines, he was encouraged by Calera’s Josh Jensen to seek out limestone soils. That led to the eventual purchase of farmland in Ballard Canyon, in the Santa Ynez Valley of Santa Barbara.
Vineyards were established in 1992 mainly to Rhone varieties. After selling grapes to others, they started their own winery in 1997.
Their son, Peter, now runs the day to day operation. The vineyard covers 150 acres. The Ballard Canyon estate vineyards are CCOF Certified Organic as of the 2022 vintage and Demeter Certified Biodynamic as of the 2023 vintage.
A significant number of vines are ungrafted, own-rooted, and the winery keeps expanding sections that are high density. Those average 3,000 vines per acre.
The Cuadrilla Project
Back in 1994 Stolpmans’ vineyard manager, Ruben Solorzano, gave his vineyard crew a block of land to farm on their own. By withholding any instructions for that block, he challenged the team to figure out what viticultural practices to follow to produce outstanding grapes.
It was a training exercise, but with another wrinkle…the crew eventually got to have wine made from that block. Over the first few years, they took home bottles from vines they cultivated throughout the year.
The Cuadrilla project took hold and with the 2009 vintage, “We expanded the Cuadrilla program to blend in more wine from other vineyards.”
As Brett Vallercamp, Manager of the winery’s direct to consumer sales, went on to explain:
“Today, 15-18% of our winery’s production goes into the blend.” The crew receives all of the profits from the sale of the wine that they farmed, harvested, blended, and bottled.”
He later elaborated, “The profits are returned to the crew members in the form of both a year-end bonus as well as an hourly bonus on each paycheck. The big year-end bonus allows the crew members a chance to add to their savings and overall cushion, while the weekly bonus aims to increase the quality of everyday life for La Cuadrilla.”
In our email exchanges at the end of October, he added: ”We distribute profits among crew members according to seniority at an end of harvest party for the crew and their family. This will be occurring next week! Additionally, there is now an hourly bonus attached to each paycheck as well.”
In May of this year Forbes featured this human aspect of Stolpman Vineyards, identified the 37 crew members by name and emphasized that the winery has been bucking the downturn trend and is growing.
The Forbes article which I highly recommend summarized the Cuadrilla program:
“The program now produces over 10,000 cases annually, all by hand, all tied to the livelihoods of those 37 farmers. The profit-sharing model, just over $100,000 when last reported, now distributes $250,000 annually among the crew. Last year alone, the year-end bonus increased by $600 per person.”
Grand Crew Wines
Now moving on from the business angle, I’ll return to the tasting when I first encountered that “Cuadrilla Especial.” As mentioned earlier, it was at the Los Olivos tasting room on a beautiful October afternoon.
As I was sitting there, it quickly became obvious that this was home to a very active wine club. Members were picking up their wines, but there was also an unusual friendly activity and hugging going on between members and the tasting room staff.
Turns out the person hosting the tasting and patiently explaining “cuadrilla” was also once part of the vineyard family crew. And she was very proud of it and escorted me for this bottle shot:
On Loyalty and Shared Purposes
Be fore getting to the wines, I want to share this summation from Brett about the wine club and brand loyalty:
“Our most engaged members are not only buying wine, they are investing in and supporting a form of agriculture and employment that they want to see more of in the world. While neither of these is the “easy” way to do things, we feel that sticking to our principles and continuing to invest in the things that define who we are as a company will continue to differentiate us in the market. If we continue to operate within the ethos that great wine begins with healthy land and thriving people, that sense of shared purpose will continue to attract the loyalty that we rely on to continue to operate as we do.”
Tasting the Estate Wine
Stolpman Vineyards, Ballard Canyon Estate Santa Barbara County, Sauvignon Blanc $26
Viewed as a Rhône-style wine specialist, Stolpman is that and much more. Stolpman made its first Sauvignon Blanc in 2008, and now has 10 acres planted at its limestone-rich estate vineyard, The winery emphasizes its efforts to keep yields low, and the wine is stainless steel-fermented and barrel aged for four months. This 2025 release is pale in color but it wows you with an assertive, pungent bouquet of green apple, jasmine, and a hint of flint. Medium-bodied and firm, it shows plenty of lime, guava and lemon zest flavors. These flavors expand on the palate to reveal some flinty, grassy accents. The finish is crisp and long with distinct, pleasing minerality. 92
Stolpman Vineyards Ballard Canyon Estate (Santa Barbara County, California) L’Avion, 2024 $52
From 25 year old Roussanne vineyards, this “ L’Avion” was blended with 7% Chardonnay. Its yellow color for a new wine is typical of Roussanne. But this turns out to be a full-throttle Roussanne that captures the varietal’s distinctive hallmarks.
Pineapple, honey, beeswax and apricot aromas take you to a full-bodied, slightly oily palate impression. The flavors highlight peach and other stone fruits. Finishes long with a long aftertaste. 92
If this may be more Roussanne for some people, the winery offers “Uni,” a blend of Chardonnay and Roussanne. Part of the winery’s “Unfiltered & Esoteric” group, the 2025 retails for $30 a bottle.
2024 Stolpman Vineyards Cuadrilla Especial” Santa Barbara County $26
There is a regular bottling at the same price, but this is for members only. A blend of Syrah, Grenache, Mourvedre and possibly a splash of Sangiovese, it offers up a pleasing aroma of plum and licorice in a medium bodied package. The juicy fruit flavors are joined by fresh raspberry and light spice. Seamless with light tannin provided a framework, it finishes with good length. A drink now style that delivers lots of wine for the price. 90
Stolpman Vineyards, Ballard Canyon Estate (Santa Barbara County, California) Sangiovese 2023 $39.
My first descriptor was “wow.” And at last word, this is one of the finest Sangiovese from California. The lovely aroma of raspberry, cherry and spice sets the stage. There’s also a floral note that came on with airing. Medium bodied, with incredibly rich flavors that lead to a balanced, lingering finish. Concentrated with light tannin for structure, this is a bold version that can be enjoyed over the next 5 years. 94
Stolpman, Ballard Canyon Estate 0(Santa Barbara County, California) Hilltops Syrah 2023 $52
Made from selected blocks of high density, own-rooted vines grown on limestone soils, “Hilltops” is a superb example of cool climate Syrah. The assertive aroma is all about black fruit, fresh herbs and pepper, with hints of leather and wild flowers. Medium full bodied with rich earthy and spicy flavors, it is a stunning concentrated wine with integrated tannins providing structure and longevity. 95
The Lighter Side of the Grand Crew
Under the “Love You Bunches” label, Stolpman offers a red, Rose and Orange wine. All are light and fresh and fun.
Here’s my note on the red posted at winereviewonline.com
The 2022 “Love You Bunches” Red
In 2013 Stolpman began experimenting with Sangiovese with the goal of making a lighter, fruit filled version using the carbonic maceration process widely used for Beaujolais Nouveau. In 2016 the wine was named “Love You Bunches” because the clusters or bunches demand special attention throughout the fermentation. Picked at relatively low sugar levels, the bunches are fermented by native yeast. Soon after fermentation is finished, the wine is bottled.
The end result is a red wine that is loaded with vibrant raspberry character, is relatively light on the palate, and has only a slight hint of tannin. The flavors are smooth and there’s good acidity to keep it all fresh. The winery says “Serve cold,” and so we did and, yes, even when really chilled it retained its freshness and overall appeal. 90
And So
Because “Love you bunches” is a phrase that could be used in many human contexts, it seemed like an appropriate way to end this conversation.
