A few issues back, Power Tasting featured a winery, Margerum, that had moved from the refined area of Santa Barbara to the raucous Funk Zone. Here, we report on Kunin Wines (www.kuninwines.com), which went the other way. Some years ago we featured Kunin in their old digs (now occupied by the Santa Barbara Winery). We are pleased to say that the wine is just as good, maybe better, and the vibe is way, way cooler.
We last visited Kunin in early 2017. Tragically, the founder, Seth Kunin died later that year. His widow, Magan, joined in time by their daughter Phoebe, took the reins. Maybe we were just in a better mood in the new tasting room; maybe the vintages were better this time; or maybe Magan has just improved the wines. Whatever the reason, we enjoyed the wines even more this time.
The new facility is in the Presidio section, once the center of Spanish colonial administration in Santa Barbara. In fact, some of the old buildings are visible out the window. It’s a storefront, with an adjoining cheese shop. You can buy some cheese or sliced meats to accompany your tastes, if you so choose. The tasting room is small and sparsely furnished, with a few stools at the bar, and a few chairs and tables in an open room.
The Kunin tasting room, with a server ready to pour.
Crowd control is not the problem it was in the Funk Zone, because there are no crowds. Most of the uptown wineries have tasting rooms on the main drag, State Street. Kunin is a few blocks away. We hope that they attract dedicated tasters, because we suspect that foot traffic is sparse.
Kunin still makes Rhône style wines with Grenache, Syrah and Mourvedre taking the pride of place. (We hate to hear them called GSM, but that seems to be the American way.) But Kunin also produces wines from a variety of grapes not often found in the US. These include Carignane, Cinsault and Counoise. Whites are made from Viognier and Chenin Blanc. Many are estate wines, but Kunin does have several single vineyard sourced wines.
Two wines available for tasting are somewhat different. Kunin has two wines that they call Pape Star, which are their take on Chateauneuf de Pape. The white is a blend of Grenache Blanc and Rousanne, which we don’t think any other American wineries make. The red is made of Grenache, Mourvèdre, Counoise and Carignane. These wines are a tribute to the great wines of the Southern Rhône. But make no mistake; they’re unmistakably California Rhône-style wines that don’t need to tip their proverbial hats to their French cousins.
There’s also a real oddball wine that they call MV Special K. MV means multi-vintage; Special K doesn’t mean breakfast cereal. Moreover, this wine is a blend of different vineyards from around Santa Barbara County. It’s usually reserved for Kunin’s club members. If it’s not on the tasting list, ask for it politely. If they have it open, we’re sure they’ll pour you some.
If you’re wine tasting in Santa Barbara, make a point of visiting Kunin. Don’t let them be lonely.