Sunset Magazine Announces 2010 Wine Award Winners

Central Coast and Santa Barbara County wines shine in Sunset's annual wine competition

Published on Feb. 15, 2026

Got story updates? Submit your updates here. ›

Sunset Magazine's November 2010 issue featured the winners of their annual wine awards, highlighting standout wines from California's Napa Valley, Sonoma County, Central Coast, and Santa Barbara County, as well as a few selections from Washington and Oregon.

Why it matters

Sunset Magazine's wine awards are highly influential, as the publication is focused on lifestyle and living in the Western United States. The awards help drive consumer interest and sales for the winning wineries, especially smaller producers from emerging regions like the Central Coast and Santa Barbara County.

The details

In the "Steals, $15 & Under" category, Sunset recognized the Cycles Gladiator 2008 Syrah from the Central Coast ($10) and the SeaGlass 2009 Sauvignon Blanc from Santa Barbara County ($10). In the "Good Values, $15 to $30" group, the magazine selected the Jorian Hill 2008 Viognier from Santa Ynez Valley ($30) and the Tantara 2008 T. Solomon Wellborn Pinot Noir from Santa Barbara County ($20). For "Special Occasions, $30 to $50", Sunset chose the Samsara 2007 Melville Vineyard Syrah from Sta. Rita Hills ($40) and the Tensley 2007 Colson Canyon Grenache from Santa Barbara County ($32). In the "Deep Pockets, Over $50" category, the Justin 2007 Isosceles from Paso Robles ($62) was recognized.

  • Sunset Magazine's November 2010 issue contained the wine award winners.

The players

Sunset Magazine

A lifestyle magazine focused on living in the Western United States, known for its annual wine awards.

Cycles Gladiator

A winery that produced a Central Coast Syrah recognized in the "Steals, $15 & Under" category.

SeaGlass

A winery that produced a Santa Barbara County Sauvignon Blanc recognized in the "Steals, $15 & Under" category.

Jorian Hill

A winery that produced a Santa Ynez Valley Viognier recognized in the "Good Values, $15 to $30" category.

Tantara

A winery that produced a Santa Barbara County Pinot Noir recognized in the "Good Values, $15 to $30" category.

Samsara

A winery that produced a Sta. Rita Hills Syrah recognized in the "Special Occasions, $30 to $50" category.

Tensley

A winery that produced a Santa Barbara County Grenache recognized in the "Special Occasions, $30 to $50" category.

Justin

A winery that produced a Paso Robles Bordeaux blend recognized in the "Deep Pockets, Over $50" category.

Got photos? Submit your photos here. ›

The takeaway

Sunset Magazine's annual wine awards continue to highlight the quality and diversity of wines produced in California's Central Coast and Santa Barbara County regions, showcasing their ability to compete with more established wine-growing areas like Napa and Sonoma.