Lions Peak Vineyard - Paso Robles, Ca. WineLions Peak Vineyards - Paso Robles, Ca. WinesLions Peak Vineyards - Paso Robles, Ca. Wines

Lions Peak Awards

Like many of the visitors to their tasting room in downtown Solvang, it was a day trip that brought Ken and Jennifer Soni to the Central Coast.

 Fifteen years ago, immersed in their respective careers and with a baby daughter in tow, Ken took them on a trip from Long Beach to see Hearst Castle. They came through the Central Coast wine region on Valentine’s Day. They viewed the vineyards, fell in love with the area and soon put down roots. Today, their zeal for business and fine wine has matured into Lions Peak Vineyards.
The busy couple owns an estate vineyard, make all the wines, and manage and staff their tasting room along Copenhagen Drive.

"We met, enjoyed wine, and it kept progressing," Jennifer said. "For Ken, wine appreciation was a lifetime passion and hobby that became an avocation. For me, it was a career change."

He's from New York and she's from Dallas. They met in Los Angeles and say that owning a vineyard and winery is the fulfillment of their dreams. But don't think they've slowed down.

"You have to have passion and be driven to succeed," she said. "We don't follow others. We do what we think is right."

Lions Peak is a small producer, generating 5,000 to 8,000 cases per year, and plans to keep it that way. So far, their wines have earned a host of awards at wine competitions such as the L.A. County Fair, Orange County Fair, California State Fair and many national and international judgings.

Starting with their first vintage in 1994, the Sonis employed brokers to place their wine in Central Coast establishments and into southern and northern California. They re-evaluated the marketing strategy and focused on the tasting room, wine club, restaurants and shops along the Central Coast and out-of-state distributors specializing in high-end boutique products. "Our specialty is Bordeaux and Rhones," she said. "We like the taste."

Lions Peak produces Cabernet Sauvignon, Petite Sirah, Mouvedre, Cabernet Franc, Viognier, Marsanne and a Cabernet "Port." Award-winning blends include Lionnesse Bon Courage and Lulu.

They decided to make several sweeter wines in response to customers who asked for them in the tasting room. A new wine they call Sisters, a blend of Marsanne, Viognier and Rousanne with a little Orange Muscat, was bottled in late spring.

"We are always here at the tasting room," she said. "We feel it's very important to teach and talk about wines. It becomes like a family. We are the face of the winery."

Jennifer gives much of the credit to her husband for his vision and hard work. She also is quick to give credit to Robert Lawrence Balzer, a longtime Los Angeles Times food and wine critic and mentor with whom they traveled and experienced tastings at many of the world's most famous wine producers in Europe.

Jennifer was born in Ohio and grew up in Texas. She studied interior design and came to California to accept a position with a national design firm in Los Angeles.

These days, as vice president of Lions Peak Vineyards and Winery, Jennifer oversees the brand development and selects the artistic wine labels, all of which have their special story. Visitors to the tasting room can usually find a great selection of wines for tasting, from tempting whites to big reds and dessert specialties.

"Something for every palate," Jennifer said. For those interested in a wine-related gift, the store's vintage shop offers hand-painted wine artisan glasses and even some gifts made in Africa such as bracelets and wood carvings.

Jennifer and Ken are very sociable and easily exchange banter and tips about the area with visitors. Their continuing education at UC Davis and Cal Poly have taught them well, but it's the hands-on experience in the vineyard and wine tasting and traveling to various wine regions that round out their knowledge.

Lions Peak Vineyard and Winery tasting room is located at 1659 Copenhagen Drive in Solvang.

Source: Inside Santa Ynez Valley Magazine, by Mark van de Kamp

Wine is the joy of the table!

During our visit to Solvang, California, we made a list of several tasting rooms that we should visit and, originally, Lion's Peak was not on the list. Perhaps it was because it wasn't prominently displayed on the standard tourist pamphlets that we seem to be beholden to when we are in an unfamiliar area. But while walking the quaint streets of Solvang we came across Lion's Peak, owned by Ken and Jennifer Soni, and were immediately attracted to the sophisticated architecture and beautiful tasting room. We soon learned that we were destined to experience Lion's Peak wines and meet Ken Soni, who educated us on his offerings as he poured his finest wines while Motown and Philly International music serenaded us in the background. We happened upon what we would later learn was an undeniable jewel of the Central Coast. We were forever changed by our experience and have the newly minted "Lion's Peak Family" Wine Club membership to prove it!

A BIT OF HISTORY

Lions Peak, one of the oldest vineyards in the Central Coast, is set in the very heart of the Historic San Miguel Region. The Estate has been the Soni family home since 1992 and consists of 120 acres. The rustic Victorian Manor House overlooks the vineyard, and evenings are often spent on the veranda viewing the beautiful valleys and surrounding vineyards.

Lion's Peak produces premium quality wines that are artistic and singularly unique. That artistry is also manifested in the magnificent wine labels that grace the bottles. Ken boasts at his website that "[e]ach label tells a story with an expression of artistic design that epitomizes the philosophy of the marriage of fine wine and art."

The Vines at Lions Peak Vineyards were first planted in 1971. The mature old vines on their own varietal rootstock produce wines with remarkable depth of character and complexity.

TASTING EXPERIENCE

We tasted 10 wines and enthusiastically enjoyed both the whites and the reds. Lion's Peak has a $10 tasting fee that comes with an exquisite Riedel logo glass. But the best part of this tasting was getting to know Ken Soni, and taking in his charm, humor, and extensive knowledge of wine and food. We even received a personal note from him inviting us to share a meal with him when we visit Solvang again.

The tasting included:

2004 Viognier
2005 The Sisters (Marsanne/Grenache/Viognier blend)
2005 Marsanne
2003 Chardonnay
NV Cuvee Blanc
2005 Zinfandel
2001 Bon Courage
2000 Reserve Cabernet Sauvignon
2001 Cabernet Franc
2003 Petite Syrah

Source: www.joyofthetable.com

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