Sun Break Wines was born from a simple question that refused to leave winemaker David Patte alone: How many different truths can one vineyard tell? Long before founding the winery in 2018, David spent years apprenticing across the Willamette Valley, absorbing the rhythms of Oregon’s vineyards and the lessons of countless winemakers. What captivated him most was the revelation that fermentation style alone, whole cluster versus destemmed, could completely reshape a wine’s voice. A 100% whole-cluster Pinot Noir surged with energy, perfume, and structure; a 100% destemmed Pinot spoke softly and elegantly; and somewhere between the two was a third, irresistible expression. Most wineries commit to one path. David committed to mastering all three.
That ethos now defines Sun Break Wines, a small, family-owned project rooted in the breezy volcanic soils of the Eola–Amity Hills. David and his wife, Elizabeth, run the winery with a focus on clarity, curiosity, and honesty, crafting wine that amplifies the vineyard rather than the winemaker. They maintain intentionally low overhead by renting space at Bjornson Vineyard and sourcing fruit only from top organically farmed, no-till, dry-farmed, coastal-influenced vineyards across the Central Coast. Working closely with growers, David ensures every site is treated with respect for the land: no herbicides, regenerative philosophy when possible, and the belief that great wine always begins in the soil.
David’s background is woven into every bottle. Though he grew up primarily in the U.S., his roots and his palate were shaped on his family’s farm in the Rhône Valley, where wine was not an event but a ritual. Summers in the countryside, family feasts, aperitifs, and lessons from relatives who once made wine at Le Cellier in Ardèche instilled a quiet devotion to the craft. His wines carry their names in homage to those who shaped his earliest memories of food, fragrance, and celebration.
Sun Break’s Pinot Noir program is unlike anything else in the Willamette Valley. From each vineyard, David produces three cuvées: Ariane, crafted entirely from whole clusters; Colette, made from 100% destemmed fruit; and Marie-Paule and Sun Break, blends of the two that reveal the full spectrum of the site. Together, they form a rare triptych, a study in terroir and technique that invites drinkers to experience nuance in its purest form. All the wines are fermented with native yeasts, aged in neutral French oak, and bottled with structure derived from stems rather than oak influence. The results have attracted significant acclaim: Reserve Pinot Noirs consistently score 93–96 points, including multiple Editors’ Choice awards; the signature series regularly receives 92–93 points; and even the entry-level Sun Break Pinot Noir, sourced entirely from a single vineyard, earns 90–92-point Best Buys.
The spirit of exploration extends beyond Pinot Noir. Sun Break crafts bright, crystalline Chardonnay (92 points and selected for panel tasting at the 2025 Aspen Food & Wine Classic), a beautiful blanc de noir Pinot, soon-to-release méthode Champenoise sparkling wines, thoughtful ciders, and a small collection of artisanal vermouths infused with organic and no-spray botanicals. The vermouths, soulful and contemplative, reflect David’s French upbringing and a lifelong love for aperitifs, meant for sipping slowly, sharing stories, and savoring the quiet moments between sips.
At its heart, Sun Break Wines is a celebration of craftsmanship, experimentation, and the expressive potential of the Eola–Amity Hills. It offers some of the best value in the Willamette Valley, 90-plus-point single-vineyard wines without the price inflation that usually accompanies such pedigree, and a winemaking philosophy rooted in the belief that wine should tell the truth of where it comes from. And always, Sun Break remains guided by curiosity: stepping outward, upward, and into the unknown to discover what the next vineyard, the next vintage, or the next experiment might reveal.
