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Cinque Stelle Winery
Santa Ynez Valley AVA
The wine is made in the vineyard and this small, family winery lets the fruit speak for itself
One of the new kids on the block in Los Olivos (a tiny town in the heart of the Santa Ynez Valley), Cinque Stelle Winery was founded in 2009 by the Crist Family. The winery name ‘Cinque Stelle’ (pronounced ‘cheen-kweh stell-lay) translates to ‘five stars’ in Italian and represents the five members of the Crist family. Cinque Stelle wines are made from the family’s estate vineyard and also from nearby Central Coast vineyards, and represent the family’s passion for the entire wine production process - from farming to winemaking.
Owner and winemaker Matthew Crist grew up on the Central Coast with a genuine respect for the land and the unique climate the Santa Ynez Valley has to offer. His family came together and purchased their first vineyard in 2007 and named it ‘C5,’ a distinctive site located west of Refugio Road and north of the Santa Ynez River. Here, the foggy mornings, warm sunny days, and cool evenings provide the perfect environment for growing premium fruit, especially Albariño, Tempranillo, Pinot Grigio, and Syrah which are planted there. The Crist family utilizes hand-farming techniques to produce the highest quality fruit year after year - fruit that is now sought out by local esteemed winemakers for their own winery brands.
In 2012, Cinque Stelle opened their tasting room and boutique in the town of Los Olivos. Matthew Crist’s sister, Natalie, is the manager of the new space and has created a completely unique and welcoming European-esque atmosphere for visitors - including wine tasting flights, savory food items, jewelry, gifts, and womens apparel.
Cinque Stelle has remained very small, producing just about 1,500 cases each year - a level that Matthew Crist is very happy with. By keeping the lots small, he is able to transfer all the attention the Crist family puts into the vineyard directly into his wines. His philosophy is that the wine is made in the vineyard and it is his job to allow the fruit to speak for itself. We hope you enjoy this special selection from Cinque Stelle!
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