Fall ’23 Winter ’24 Newsletter

2023 Fall

ROAR WITH THE LIONS

2024 Winter

Greetings from Lions Peak!

Fall is already here, and Wine club shipments are on their way. I have written these newsletters for so many years and for those of you that are new to Lions Peak, please enjoy a brief synopsis of the beginning of Lions Peak!  As a by product of coming to California in the late 1980’s, as a professional Interior Designer, I became involved in wine and as a spontaneous vision, purchased  a vineyard property with a Victorian home on the out lying area of Paso Robles where Lulu and I lived.…

I continued to design and have a weekly radio talk show first on Interior Design and then a new talk show on Wine. These were the early years of Paso Robles and one could safely say that I had stepped back in time…way back in time! Lulu went off to a Performing Arts High School and college in New York City where she continued her vision of dance and yoga. I continued living a life with nature producing fine wines, becoming a sommelier, wine judge.  And continued to design for myself and a few others. I assure you living in the outback was challenging!   

Eric and I met around-2008 and became close friends.  Now we are soulmates and what a beautiful soul he is. Since Covid, Eric and I have been the team you see at Lions Peak. To give you a brief overview of Eric, he is an accomplished writer, former commercial real estate agent, and has had commercial hazardous waste software company. Now he is an integral part of the operations at Lions Peak and without saying my life. One might say that we are living the Dream! I would have to say my Dream is sharing the remaining years of my life with Eric.  

Fast forward, our Thousand Oaks Tasting Room location is in the final stages of construction. Thousand Oak’s tasting room may be opening in late October for reservations. We expect to have our first Thanksgiving, Christmas, and New Year at our Thousand Oaks Tasting room.

For additional details regarding the September through December activities you can view Lions Peak’s events on our web site the exception for four new events which I have listed for you. Lions Peak is excited to be opening our new tasting room in Southern California. We hope that you will find having the Peak are your neighbor will provide you the opportunity to share our fine wine with you more often.

Lions Peak’s Tasting Room will be available to book for private events. Please refer to the information about private events on our website: tasting-room-events.

Events

Taste of Santa Ynez Valley: 9-28, 9-29, 9-30, and 10-2023

Taste of Conejo Valley at the Hyatt Regency Westlake: 10-1-2023, 1-4 pm

Cornejo Uncorked at the Gardens Los Robles Greens, Thousand Oaks: 10-5-2023, 5:30-8:30 

Old Town Camarillo Wine Walk: 10-7-2023,  1:00-4:00 pm

California Wine Festival-Huntington Beach: 11-10 and 11-11-2023, Noon -4:00 pm

SEE ALL UPCOMING EVENTS

BOOK A PRIVATE EVENT WITH US

Wine and Chocolate Events

Beginning in January at our Thousand Oaks Tasting Room, Lions Peak will be offering a wine and chocolate event. Wine and chocolate is a great tasting experience, and we shall be providing you with the background history of chocolate in conjunction with wine pairing. 

The word “chocolate” may conjure up images of sweet candy bars and luscious truffles, but the confections of today bears little resemblance to the chocolate of the past: Throughout much of its history, chocolate was a bitter beverage, not a sweet, rich-tasting treat. But after it became popular in the courts of Europe and the streets of colonial America, chocolate soon evolved into the universally loved commodity it is today.                    

Secondly, Lions Peak will resume wine and cheese seminars. According to ancient records passed down through the centuries, the making of cheese dates back more than 4,000 years.  No one really knows who made the first cheese; however, wine and cheese pairing that is tied in with a little history is a fascinating topic!

Our tasting rooms will continue to feature an assortment of glassware and wine related gifts. soy candles, gourmet chocolates, logo apparel, and gifts from India.

Our Thousand Oaks Tasting Room will be a continuation of the salon environment that we have created at our Solvang Tasting Room that is inviting for our tasters with an additional emphasis on wine education and wine and food pairing.

Since for us it is about the art of fine wine, we want the time that you spend with us to be comfortable and intimate.  For us, it is always about the wine and sharing our life experience with you. I have been blessed with the gift of sharing this knowledge with each of you, and we hope to pass own the gift that my mentor, Robert Lawrence Balzer, gave to me.

We welcome you as our family of friends to join us. 
We look forward to seeing you soon.

Jennifer Soni Arant and Eric Hutchins

FALL AND WINTER WINE CLUB SELECTION

Connoisseur (6-12 bottle)
2020 Chardonnay. $45.00 New Release
2019 Viognier $35.00 Gold 90 Points
2020 Roaring Lion Cabernet Sauvignon $75.00 Silver
2017 Malbec $50.00 Silver
2019 Lions Tears $65.00 Silver Medal
NV Vis a Vis $60.00 Silver

Premium (6-12 bottle)
2017 Lionnesse $75.00 Silver
2019 Bon Courage $95.00 Gold 90 Points
2020 Roaring Lion Cabernet Sauvignon $75.00 Silver
2017 Malbec $50.00 Silver
2017 Merlot $50.00 Silver
NV Vis a Vis $60.00 Silver

Roaring Lion (6-12 bottle)
2017 Lionnesse $75.00 Silver
2019 Proprietor’s Reserve Cabernet Sauvignon $75.00 Silver
2018 Proprietor’s Reserve Cabernet Sauvignon $75.00 Silver
2017 Petit Verdot $95.00 Double Gold and Gold 94 Points
2020 Roaring Lion Cabernet Sauvignon Reserve $75.00 Gold 90 Points
2019 Bon Courage Gold $95.00 Gold 90 Points

Special Selections 6 Bottle Club and 4 Bottle Signature Club
Club members make their own selections

HOLIDAY SHIPMENT
2020 Roaring Lion Reserve Cabernet Sauvignon $75.00 Silver
2017 Petit Verdot $95.00 Double Gold and Gold 94 Points
2019 Bon Courage $95.00 Gold 90 Points
2019 Lionnesse $75.00 Silver 2017 Lionnesse $75.00 Silver
Lions Peak Cuvee Brut Méthode Champanoise $45.00

Please contact Lions Peak: 805.423.1134 to schedule your reservation for tasting at our new Thousand Oaks location. Solvang Tastings are walk in for parties from 2 to 4 persons.  Larger groups require reservations.

WINE CLUB TASTINGS

For each LP Wine Club member, tasting will continue to be complimentary for club members and 2 guests. with one tasting that is complimentary monthly.  Tastings are on first-come-first-served basis. Reservations are not required for smaller parties of 2-4 persons Lions Peak tastings in Solvang.

Administration 805.423.1134
Wine Club: 805.550.4900
www.lionspeakwine.com

WEEKLY SCHEDULE SOLVANG
Monday, Tuesday, and Wednesday: closed
Thursday reservations
Friday: 2:00 PM to 6:00 PM
Saturday and Sunday: 12:00 pm-7:00 pm

WEEKLY SCHEDULE THOUSAND OAKS
PLEASE CONTACT LIONS PEAK
805. 423.1134 for RESERVATIONS beginning November 2023 until further notice

Now Open in two Locations

GET DIRECTIONS TO OUR SOLVANG TASTING ROOM

GET DIRECTIONS TO OUR THOUSAND OAKS TASTING ROOM

LP 2023 Newsletter

2023 Spring – ROAR WITH THE LIONS – 2023 Summer

Greetings from Jenn, Lions Peak!

During the years that I have had the tasting room in Solvang, I never inquired what brought tasters to Solvang. I started asking them this question, and it was wonderful to hear how much they loved the heritage and the quaintness of this sweet community. So many of my wine tasters have been coming to Solvang for years, and for others, it was their first visit. I want to continue to extend my warm welcome to all of you and thank you for making our community a part of your life.

Lions Peak finished 2022 with Solvang’s traditional Julefest activities. We have been delighted to welcome so many wonderful guests to our tasting room this year. Lions Peak has been a part of the Solvang Community since 2004, and we plan to continue to greet you with a warm welcome!

We are excited about the New Year and sharing our Family of Fine Wines with You! This year Lions Peak Family will be adding Natural Wines to our Family of Fine Wines and a Carmel Valley Pinot Noir. I am excited to be including this AVA Pinot Noir to my portfolio of fine wines.

These new wines are just a sample of the diversity that Lions Peak will be sharing with you at our Solvang and Thousand Oaks Tasting Room-Salons.

As a sommelier and winemaker, I am enthusiastic to expand my selection of wines to AVA’s that offer you new styles of wines. After all, it is always about the wines!

All the best to you , your family, and friends!

Jennifer Soni Arant

As Lions Peak continues to look at the future, our latest news is that we NOW have a second tasting room which is in the licensing process. The tasting room is located close to the Thousand Oaks Event Center and our new home in Thousand Oaks.

The second Lions Peak Tasting Room is one block off the 101 North in Thousand Oaks . You will exit on Rancho Rd. and turn right onto Thousand Oaks. Blvd. Our address is 1321 East Thousand Oaks Blvd. Suite 118.

We are excited to be able to schedule special events, tastings, and pick up parties at our new location. We are also looking forward to having weekly wine education classes on Monday evening. My mentor, Robert Balzer offered A Taste of California to so many of us, and I know it would make Robert proud to have this weekly class in Robert’s honor.

ABOUT THE WINE

When I first entered the World of Wine, I was naïve about the creativity of the art form of fine wines. After all. in the early 1990’s most of us had just discovered Muscat and White Zinfandel! I could even add the growing up in Texas during those early years did not have the same cache as France or California: however, we all remembered how many of people lived a dream in their minds and sought a better future.

I was one of those people that wanted the California Dream!

I was professional Interior Designer when I moved to California. I think the World of Wine just happened to me. I became intrigued with label design and a wine called Fume Blanc .Little did I know that a dinner date at Seal Beach would be life changing.

After tasting a Robert Mondovi Fume Blanc, the race was on! (For those tasters that Don’t know what Fume Blanc is, it is a fancy name for Sauvignon Blanc.) I started living the aphorism,” Life is what happens to you when you are making other plans!”

Moving forward, Lions Peak was created and the rest is history. All of this began with a road trip with Lulu in 1992 and ended on the Central Coast of California and ultimately ended with a vineyard purchase on Valentine’s Day in 1992.

Lions Peak offers: wines, wine tasting, and wines that are shipped directly to your door step.

SPRING AND SUMMER HIGHLIGHTS

Our event calendar begins in February with our yearly participation of the Garagiste Wine Festival in Solvang and our

Valentine ‘s Day event at our tasting room.. After the two events in February, Lions Peak’s begins the Spring with the Wine and Chili Cookoff on March 19th in Buellton.

On March 13th 1998 Lions Peak became an official Wine House. Prior to that date, we were just farmers producing Cabernet Sauvignon grapes on our vineyard. Our dedication to you and ourselves was to only produce Fine Wines that did not compromise Mother Nature. After 25 years as a Bonded Winery, we continue with this pledge .

Come celebrate and taste our newest releases, sparkling wines, and our library wines during the month of April. Jenn will have returned from India and have many wonderful stories to share with you and our continued vision for all of us.

From March until September our calendar will be filled with exciting tasting room events, wine tasting festivals, and New releases! these events will be posted on our Calendar of Events.

Our Tasting Room will be honoring our Veterans on Memorial Weekend. Veterans will receive a complimentary tasting with any purchase. The season continues to the 4th of July tastings and parades. All of August we honor our Leos with a birthday party throughout the month.

MOTHERS DAY

Save the date for Mother’s Day, Sunday, May 14th.

Our Solvang Tasting Room and Salon will be honoring all of our Mothers.

Mothers will receive complimentary Sparkling Wines and chocolates. Come share your special stories about your Mother and if possible please bring her to celebrate and honor her on this special day.

It is a tradition at Lions Peak to honor our Mothers. We shall also have red and white carnations for Moms.

SUMMER BOTTLINGS

This Summer Lions Peak will be entering new wine competitions and bottling our 2021 vintages which have been barrel aging in French oak.

The new red wines will include Bon Courage, Lions Tears, Cabernet Franc, Merlot, Pinot Noir, Lionnesse, Grenache, and Cabernet Port.

Our new whites will include an oaked Chardonnay and two other white blends , and of course, the new vintage Lulu and Sisters!

All of these wines are in limited case lots. At Lions Peak, it is important for our tasters to discover the World of Wine. This is is why we produce limited case wine varietals so that you will have many selections.

Lions Peak is busy planning for special tastings and events beginning in Spring.

Also, look for Lions Peak’s monthly specials that we shall be offering throughout the Spring and Summer Season.

These two bottle packages will feature 3 collections for your Holiday events or just an evening to spend with friends.

From our sparkling wine selections to our bold red, Lions Peak will have it to offer you!

Cheers! From our house to yours!

Love Wine?

Join the Peak Collection!

Sign up to join Lions Peak Wine Club for exclusive events, updates on limited bottles and custom shipment options that are sure to satisfy any palate. We offer clubs that you can select your own wines, or Lions Peak will create the packages for you.

Information on our previous wine club events and newsletters can be found on our website. Call us to update your wine club selections or billing and shipping information.

Our Club packages our Quarterly or Triennially.

Questions??? Text us or call us at 805.423.134. Jenn will assist you.

Or Contact Eric @ 805.550.4900

LP 2022 Newsletter

2022 Fall – ROAR WITH THE LIONS – 2023 Winter

Greetings from Lions Peak!

The Fall and Winter Season is upon us and our Solvang Tasting Room and Salon is back in full swing. Danish Days and Jules Festival activities have returned that memorialize what we all love best about the heritage of Solvang. Lions Peak has played a part of Solvang’s legacy for 18 years and has enjoyed the fall and winter historical celebrations in this quaint Danish Village. We also have loved having the fall and winter activities that featured our wines which will be returning during the season.

Now, let’s talk about what we enjoy doing best! Hopefully we have created a tasting room with a salon environment that is inviting for our tasters. Since for us it is about the art of fine wine, we want the time that you spend with us to be comfortable and intimate. Lions Peak’s focus is on fine wines, art, and decorative gifts which are wine related, and, “You!” Our web site has some of the merchandise that we are currently featuring in our tasting room; however, we are in the process of ordering more apparel, decorative glassware, and wine related gifts which will be here for the Fall and Winter Season. For Lions Peak’s Fall-Winter scheduled events you can view them on our web site.

OUR HISTORY

Entering the world of wine in 1992 was quite an experience. Engaging in a new career where I was bonded with nature was very different from creating interiors for models, commercial space or residences. I learned quickly that the farming aspect of the wine industry is truly about “Farming”! Lions Peak became vertically integrated with the total operation of farming, winemaking, tasting room, and distribution, in order to, provide Lions Peak the opportunity to diversify and purchase other fruit to process for our brand.

NEW BEGINNINGS

During Covid, it became clear to me that I wanted to make a change. Therefore, I made some hard decisions and reevaluated my personal and business future. I concluded that I wanted to remain in the wine business; however, retiring Lions Peak from the farming component was the most lucrative and beneficial thing to do.

Being able to purchase fruit from the best appellations in California and expand my visibility from the Paso Robles and Santa Barbara to other noteworthy regions in California. This has been my goal for many years and now I am able to have the time to provide wines from many top rate regions and continue my next level of sommelier studies. Lions Peak will continue producing ultra-premium fine wines. Our winery operation in Paso Robles and Tasting Room in Solvang will continue as usual. Lions Peak’s focus is now able to concentrate on what we do best and that is produce fine wines!

FUTURE PLANS

We are in the process of setting up a second operation in Thousand Oaks area which should be opened by early spring.

Our Solvang Tasting Room and Salon will continue with our Paso Robles Winery. We always welcome for your input about a second Tasting Room -Salon for Lions Peak. We are excited to have an opportunity to expand Lions Peak to Thousand Oaks and Southern California area where so many of our club members live!

WINTER AND SPRING BOTTLINGS

The Spring and Summer were a busy time with new bottlings and wine competitions. Perhaps it is best to start with the latest bottling that Lions Peak has had since March. We bottled another lot of Vis a Vis along with a single varietal Grenache and Mourvèdre. All three of these Rhone varietals and blends are tasting wonderfully. It is difficult to say which one is my favorite.

Yes, we have bottled several of our 2019 vintage wines. They are in the bottle and still need time before they are ready to drink. The newest bottled wines include, 2019 Lionesse, 2019 Bon Courage, 2020 Roaring Lions, and 2020 Cabernet Franc. The 2020 Cabernet Sauvignon Port remains in barrel along with our 2021 Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, and Cabernet Franc.

Lions Peak’s Sparkling Brut and Pinot Noir Rosé Wines are bottled and are available for you to enjoy! They have been produced in the Traditional Champenoise Methods and are the perfect accompaniment for all your holiday events. We recommend that you try a bottle of each Champagne.

All the best,

Jennifer Soni

Winemaker-Sommelier