Sunce Winery
…A Sonoma vineyard with Mediterranean accents
This beautiful little property Sunce Winery, nestled in the Russian River Valley, was founded in 1991 by Frank Franicevic and his wife Jane.
Frank Franicevic was born in 1953 in the city of Sucurai situated on the Dalmatian coast (Adriatic Sea). As a child he loved to join his grandfather to the family estate for the grape harvest and for the olive harvest. After high school, he decided to study psychology in the United States and more specifically at the University of West Georgia. Subsequently, trying to find peace to finish his thesis in psychology he came to settle in Sonoma.
In contact with the wine of Sonoma county his childhood´s love for the wine world resurfaced. He began to create his own wine in the basement of his house. It was a successful appointment and wines quickly earned him prizes.
In 1990, he opened his first winery called “One World Winery” fruit of the renovation of an old barn on Piner Road. In 1994 his wife Jane joined him, adding her expertise in marketing as well as technical matters (vineyards and cellars).
With a rich experience and success he remodeled this property to create a new one: the SUNCE WINERY.
After selecting grapes and viewing the need of growing, they purchased other properties they decided in 1998 to grow the new winery’s own vineyards by purchasing four acres. The land rapidly expanded, including the planting of the vineyard flagship varietal: Pinot Noir.
Where does the name Sunce Winery come from?
Sunce means “sun” in Serbian. They chose to give this name to the property because of the Yugoslav origin of the family as well as the sunshine of the property on the day they visited. That day the sun was in the process of going to bed and the view was so beautiful that the daughter of Mr. and Mrs. Franicevic place is was named “Sunce” too … eventually the name stuck.
What are they looking for when they create Sunce Winery wines?
Wines bursting with sunshine in which we feel the full expression of the terroirs of the property including making wine micro-cuvées (micro-slept off, that is to say from a small surface).
Some features:
- Soil: sand, silt, clay
- Handpicking
- Practice agriculture rational type (eco-friendly)
- Produces 32 wines
- Practice of micro plots
- For ageing: use French and American oak
The wine anecdotes:
“Sunce Winery” …. a name that is synonymous with sun, summer day, the art of living in the Mediterranean. A story that completes this idyllic picture is that the owners have built a front terrace where you can enjoy a glass of wine, a petanque …. You’ll even find a vintage “Three friends” with bowls on the label … “Mediterranean lifestyle is here“.
The “Crush Party“! Every year at harvest time, this property organizes a fun evening where people can enjoy wine while pressing the grapes in a walking bac … using an ancestral technical pressing. Good atmosphere, friendly, unforgettable experience for tasting appointments are there for you every year!
Side project:
Currently part of the production is sold to a Chardonnay house “Sparkling wines” (sparkling wine). In the near future Janae would retain a portion of the production of chardonnay to create their own sparkling.
Thanks to the team and Janae for the warm welcoming.
Jonathan Choukroun Chicheportiche
Sunce Winery
1839 Olivet Road
Santa Rosa
CA 95401, États-Unis
(707) 526-9463
Facebook
WebSite
