Dunstan

Ellie Phipps Price purchased the Durell Vineyard in 1998 from Ed Durell. Durell, a San Francisco food broker, acquired the land in 1977 with the intent of turning it into a cattle ranch, but began planting grapes instead.

After hiring vineyard manager Steve Hill, the pair focused exclusively on growing premium wine grapes, which they began selling to Sonoma County wineries in 1982.

Today there are over 20 top-tier wineries producing Durell Vineyard designate wines including Chasseur, Chateau St. Jean, Kistler, and Auteur.

In 2005, Ellie replanted the 8 1/2 acre Ranch House Block at Durell. This block is dedicated exclusively to Dunstan Wines, producing only a few hundred cases of premium Durell Vineyard wine each year.

You've seen a horseshoe hanging above a doorway—a symbol of protection and luck.

According to 10th century legend, a blacksmith named Dunstan was visited by the Devil to have his shoes reset. While fitting the shoes, Dunstan quicked the Devil who implored for the shoe to be removed. Dunstan agreed, but only after the Devil promised never to enter a dwelling with a horseshoe hanging above the door.

When we were first planting the Ranch House Block at Durell, a very large horseshoe was unearthed. Rusted and obviously very old, it served as the inspiration for the name of our new wine.

Located in the southwestern hills of Sonoma Valley, the Durell Vineyard stretches across three separate and overlapping appellations: Sonoma Coast, Sonoma Valley and a small corner of Carneros.

This unique area enjoys the best characteristics of each appellation—the cooling effect of San Pablo Bay to the South, the afternoon winds generated from the Pacific to the West, and the warmth of the Sonoma Valley to the North. The vineyard’s sloping hills, rocky clay loam soils and low-vigor vines help keep yields low—three tons per acre on average—while its clonal diversity ensures great complexity.

We grow predominantly Chardonnay and Pinot Noir. The wines from Durell are beloved for being rich, elegant, and full-bodied, and is exemplified in Dunstan Wines.

DUNSTAN Wines began in 2005 with the planting of the 8 1/2 acre Ranch House Block surrounding our home at Durell Vineyard.

Located at the southern end of the vineyard on an east-facing slope, this site has cool coastal fog in the morning that gives way to warm, breezy afternoons. The well-drained, gravelly soil is more densely planted than other areas of the vineyard which means smaller, more concentrated berries with lots of varietal character.

Our inaugural vintage of DUNSTAN is 2008. The wines are lush and full-bodied, balanced and refined, showcasing the best qualities of Durell.

Ellie is a California native with a love for fine wines. She studied English literature at UC Berkeley, then Viticulture and Enology at UC Davis.

A mother of two children, she is an avid equestrian and active supporter of animal welfare and environmental preservation initiatives. As a steward of the historic Durell Vineyard, Ellie embraces farming practices that are respectful of the land, water, and animal life there as well as those that maintain natural balances throughout the property.

Chris began working with Durell Vineyard in 2006 and partnered with Ellie in the launch of Dunstan Wines in 2008, with a focus on direct-to-consumer and national sales. After completing the Winemaker's certificate course at UC Davis, he has worked closely with winemaker Kenneth Juhasz to craft exceptional wines for Dunstan.

Chris’ love of wine and technology joined together in 2011 with the launch of VineSpring, which provides affordable eCommerce solutions for wineries. DunstanWines.com runs on the VineSpring platform.