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San Marcos, CA ( Newsbox ) September 21, 2012 - Ed Kruger is a busy man these days. As the head vintner of a small family-owned vineyard in San Diego, CA, Ed has high standards for his wine and acute taste. Sugar levels of the grapes at 25 brix? Check. Optimal amount of tannins? Bingo. Malolactic fermentation underway? Done.

"This Vineyard has bottled up the perfect vintage through their love of customers and wine" [Pre-Approved Quote]

Founded just over eleven years ago, Sunshine Mountain Vineyard has been punching above its weight since its inception due to Ed Kruger's relentless pursuit of the perfect wine. His efforts the first two years to create a wine he himself would drink yielded only disappointment. However, after the third year his persistence paid off and he created a wine that he was proud to share with the rest of the world.

Even with the increasing number of visitors the small vineyard has been receiving these days, Ed continues to share his passion and enthusiasm for wine and the winemaking process with visitors to San Diego and locals alike - and visitors to the small San Diego vineyard have been taking notice.

For the second year in a row, Sunshine Mountain Vineyard has won the coveted distinction of "Best of San Diego" for 2012 in the San Diego Union Tribune's annual poll of best San Diego businesses. Back to back first place awards in the Local Winery category had never previously been achieved in the history of the newspaper.

In addition to winning the "Best of San Diego" award twice, SMV has also won several medals in international wine competitions, including the Winemaker Challenge International Wine Competition, the Riverside International Wine Competition, and the San Diego International Wine Competition.

Ed believes that no matter a person's background, where they're from, or what they do, wine is a communal phenomenon that brings people together like nothing else. He says that the magic of wine is its unique ability to bring people together and make them feel like they're part of the family and the time-honored winemaking tradition.

His wife Claire, co-owner and social media manager for the winery, shared this sentiment.

"We feel that the reason we won this honor is because of our strong extended family of wine drinkers," Claire says. "Each of our wine tasters who visit us contributes a little bit more to the community that we're building here at Sunshine Mountain Vineyard. Family sticks together and we're proud to share this honor as a victory for our extended family of wine drinkers and supporters, to whom we owe this humbling distinction."

All of the winning local businesses for "Best of San Diego" can be viewed at http://www.utsandiego.com/bestof and in the winery category specifically at: http://www.utsandiego.com/bestof/2012/bars-nightlife/local-winery/

For more information follow SMV on Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/sunshinemountainvineyard or visit their website: http://www.sunshinemountainvineyard.com.

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