Holus Bolus & The Joy Fantastic

Holus Bolus & The Joy Fantastic brings husband-and-wife winemakers Peter Hunken and Amy Christine to the tasting room in Los Olivos, California. Their small-production wines focus on Santa Barbara County’s cooler vineyards, with Syrah, Pinot Noir, Chardonnay, Roussanne and Gamay at the center. Christine holds the demanding Master of Wine qualification; Hunken’s training includes eight years at Stolpman Vineyards. The appeal is access to the people doing the work, not just someone pouring their bottles.

With roots in 2005, Holus Bolus concentrates on single-vineyard wines that keep each growing site’s identity separate. The Joy Fantastic label draws exclusively from the couple’s five-acre hillside vineyard on the western edge of the Sta. Rita Hills American Viticultural Area. The planting dates to 2014 and occupies a former cow pasture, where Pacific fog and breezes help preserve the grapes’ refreshing acidity. Organic farming relies on practices including mechanical weeding rather than synthetic herbicides.

The Los Olivos tasting room at 2902 San Marcos Avenue, Unit B, opens daily from noon to 5 p.m., with tasting reservations available. For a closer look at production, private appointments at the winery in Lompoc pair barrel, tank and bottled wines with the winemaker for $60 per person. A $100 tasting-and-blending session adds a custom bottle for each participant to take home—a stronger fit for visitors curious about how wine comes together.