Amevive Sundrop 2024
The Land
Sundrop 2024 comes from Tagabelle Vineyard in the Los Olivos District of Santa Barbara County, a small site adjacent to Amevive’s home vineyard, Ibarra-Young. The area sits on ancient river terraces of sandy loam and gravel with a steady marine influence that tempers the region’s warmth. Farming here is done “beyond organically,” integrating rotational sheep grazing, cover crops, and natural understory growth to sustain soil vitality and biodiversity. These regenerative practices maintain vine balance and amplify the vineyard’s ability to translate its inland-coastal interplay into texture and perfume.
The Wine
A blend of Marsanne, Viognier, and Roussanne, Sundrop 2024 is co-fermented to highlight the synergy of Rhône whites grown in a cool, inland valley. The Marsanne and Viognier were harvested together and pressed directly, while the Roussanne was split into two picks—one whole-cluster pressed and one foot-tread—to build depth. The juice fermented spontaneously in neutral French oak barrels, where it completed malolactic fermentation and rested on fine lees for nearly a year before being bottled unfined and unfiltered. The result is a textural yet lifted white with aromas of white peach, orange blossom, and acacia honey, layered over a mid-palate of stone fruit and subtle warm baking spice.
The People
Amevive is the project of winemaker Alice Anderson, whose work in the Northern Rhône inspired her love for varieties like Marsanne and Roussanne. Together with her partner, Topher de Felice, she farms and crafts wines that reflect an intersection of California sunlight and Old-World restraint. Every cuvée is guided by minimal intervention—native fermentation, neutral oak, no fining or filtering, and only small additions of sulfur—to preserve a sense of purity and place. Sundrop embodies the quiet confidence of Amevive’s approach: a wine of clarity, balance, and unforced beauty drawn directly from the rhythms of its land.
Food Pairing
Miso Chicken & Mushroom Pot Pie. Savory miso, creamy coconut milk, and caramelized vegetables beneath a flaky sesame-seed crust. It’s deeply aromatic and soul-warming — the kind of one-pan meal that feels indulgent yet balanced, especially alongside a glass of Amevive Sundrop 2024. Recipe on blog.
Description
The Land
Sundrop 2024 comes from Tagabelle Vineyard in the Los Olivos District of Santa Barbara County, a small site adjacent to Amevive’s home vineyard, Ibarra-Young. The area sits on ancient river terraces of sandy loam and gravel with a steady marine influence that tempers the region’s warmth. Farming here is done “beyond organically,” integrating rotational sheep grazing, cover crops, and natural understory growth to sustain soil vitality and biodiversity. These regenerative practices maintain vine balance and amplify the vineyard’s ability to translate its inland-coastal interplay into texture and perfume.
The Wine
A blend of Marsanne, Viognier, and Roussanne, Sundrop 2024 is co-fermented to highlight the synergy of Rhône whites grown in a cool, inland valley. The Marsanne and Viognier were harvested together and pressed directly, while the Roussanne was split into two picks—one whole-cluster pressed and one foot-tread—to build depth. The juice fermented spontaneously in neutral French oak barrels, where it completed malolactic fermentation and rested on fine lees for nearly a year before being bottled unfined and unfiltered. The result is a textural yet lifted white with aromas of white peach, orange blossom, and acacia honey, layered over a mid-palate of stone fruit and subtle warm baking spice.
The People
Amevive is the project of winemaker Alice Anderson, whose work in the Northern Rhône inspired her love for varieties like Marsanne and Roussanne. Together with her partner, Topher de Felice, she farms and crafts wines that reflect an intersection of California sunlight and Old-World restraint. Every cuvée is guided by minimal intervention—native fermentation, neutral oak, no fining or filtering, and only small additions of sulfur—to preserve a sense of purity and place. Sundrop embodies the quiet confidence of Amevive’s approach: a wine of clarity, balance, and unforced beauty drawn directly from the rhythms of its land.
Food Pairing
Miso Chicken & Mushroom Pot Pie. Savory miso, creamy coconut milk, and caramelized vegetables beneath a flaky sesame-seed crust. It’s deeply aromatic and soul-warming — the kind of one-pan meal that feels indulgent yet balanced, especially alongside a glass of Amevive Sundrop 2024. Recipe on blog.
