Inspiring Winemaking at Stolpman Vineyards

The first time I encountered Stolpman was back in 2008 when I was working for Randall Grahm at Bonny Doon Vineyard. As the infamous “Rhône Ranger,” Randall sought out excellence in Rhône varietals throughout California, so it's no surprise that he ended up buying fruit from Stolpman who pioneered Syrah and other Rhône varieties in what was to later become the Ballard Canyon AVA. Stolpman’s Vineyard is planted across a series of undulating hills on the Western side of Ballard Canyon, just a few miles south of Los Olivos.

Wine NewsletterRyan WoodhouseSeptember 18, 2025K&L Wine Merchantsklwines, staff trip, ryan woodhosue, ryan woodhouse, domestic wine, santa barbara county, central coast wine, sta rita hills wine, ballard canyon, california wine, combe wines, pete stolpman, ruben solorzano, kyle knapp

The Wonderful Wine World of Ballard Canyon

We are so lucky in California to be a stone’s throw from great wine regions, no matter which part of the state we live in—and it seems a particularly good moment to celebrate this unique part of the world while it suffers under smoke and fire right now. Hollywood staffer Illya Haase recently took his family on a short jaunt from LA to Ballard Canyon, home to Stolpman Vineyards and their great lineup of wines. He was impressed by their thoughtful winemaking and farming, but mostly by the deep connection to their people and their land.

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