Kunin Wines Backgrounder

Kunin Wines is a boutique Santa Barbara winery focusing on French varietals from California’s Central Coast. Their philosophy is simple: when you open a bottle, you can be assured from vineyard to glass, very little has been done to alter the purity of the fruit or its natural terroir. 

Founder Seth Kunin, a seasoned sommelier, started Kunin Wines in 1998 with a vision to create handcrafted, authentic wines from California’s Central Coast. He quickly established Kunin as a “go-to” label for sommeliers in California and he became a pivotal figure in the national wine scene. 

In addition to their signature blends, Pape Star Rouge and Pape Star Blonde, Kunin developed an impressive range of small-batch wines, including several Syrahs, Chenin Blanc, Viognier, Grenache and Mourvedre. Seth’s focus on French varieties brought him in close contact with wineries in the Rhone to deepen his expertise; for several vintages he made a Santa Barbara Syrah in partnership with Yves Gangloff. 

Since Seth's sudden passing in 2017, his wife and winery partner Magan has continued their vision with rave reviews from Robert Parker and Vinous. Magan has zeroed in on harvests, visiting daily to ensure the pick happens at perfect ripeness, and on tasting the blends, sometimes hundreds of times before deciding. 

Kunin’s tasting room, a top destination in Santa Barbara’s Funk Zone, exudes the quintessential carefree elegance and California charm that mirrors the style of the wines.