Cabernet Sauvignon
picked
September 15, 2015
Waxing crescent moon
pressed
October 29, 2015
Waning gibbous moon
racked
July 19, 2016
Full moon
bottled
July 31, 2017
First quarter moon
We have several different blocks and different clones of cab on our vineyard. Each is incredibly unique. Block three is green and high maintenance and beautiful. Block one is the weird cousin that no party is fun without. Block four is the magical unicorn with densely planted vines and such low yields it’s almost non-existent. The end result is a beautiful monster.
- ABV 14%
- Vintage 2015
- Region Santa Barbara County
- Varietal 86% Cabernet Sauvignon 10% Cabernet Franc 4% Petit Verdot
Vineyard Notes
The yields for Cabernet were incredibly low in 2015. In fact, our block 3 (clone 337) yielded just 0.41 tons per acre and the densly planted block 4 (clone 169) only yielded 0.72 tons per acre. The small yields produced highly concentrated fruit with tiny berries and intense color.
Production Notes
The Cabernet was hand picked and sorted into open top barrels and a new french oak rotary fermenter. The fermentation started without the addition of commercial yeasts and progressed steadily over about 2 weeks. A combination of mostly new and some used barrels were used for elevage. The wine spent 21 months in barrel before being bottled.
CASES: 32
SOLD OUT
Cabernet Franc
picked
September 3, 2015
Waning gibbous moon
pressed
October 15, 2015
Waxing crescent moon
racked
July 19, 2016
Full moon
bottled
July 31, 2017
First quarter moon
This love affair was quite like a 70s movie. A very long, slow intro with mostly music and no talking. It took us a little while to get out of the friend zone. But once we did, I realized I’ve never known a love quite like this before. I am smitten. So smitten that we replaced all of our Malbec vines with cab Franc. This wine tastes of its place, and it is special. Very, very special. I’ve made pilgrimages to Clos Reugeard, the Loire and Rhône valleys, South Africa etc. to try to understand why this mother of Cabernet Sauvignon is unlike any other grape. I’m looking forward to every single incarnation of this wine.
- ABV 13.6%
- Vintage 2015
- Region Santa Barbara County
- Varietal 95% Cabernet Franc, 5% Cabernet Sauvignon
Vineyard Notes
Our nearly one acre block of Cabernet Franc was planted in 2010 with clone 623. We harvested approximately 1.75 tons over two separate picks.
Production Notes
All the grapes were hand picked and meticulously sorted before going into open top barrels for fermentation. The fermentation was allowed to start without the addition of commercial yeasts. A combination of gentle punchdowns and pumpovers were used during the fermentation.
CASES: 30
SOLD OUT
Petit Verdot
picked
September 15, 2015
Waning crescent moon
pressed
October 15, 2015
Waning crescent moon
racked
July 19, 2016
Full moon
bottled
July 31, 2017
First quarter moon
These were the first rows and the first vines I learned to care for by hand. It was also the first grape I fell in love with on our first harvest in 2014. It was harvested on a full moon and it also happened to be my birthday that year. We called it the magical birthday brew.
I was told once that Petit Verdot is only for blending, that consumers don’t get it. I scoff at that. We get what we like. We likey.
- ABV 14.2%
- Vintage 2015
- Region Santa Barbara County
- Varietal 80% Petit Verdot, 20% Cabernet Franc
Vineyard Notes
We had a slightly smaller than average, but perfect crop of Petit Verdot in 2015. This 0.86 acre block was planted in 2010 to clone 1058.
Production Notes
The fruit was brought in early in the morning and hand sorted after destemming. Fermentation took place in a new open top barrel and a closed top stainless steel tank. We alternated between pumpovers and punchdowns as the native fermentation progressed. It was pressed into a combination of new and used french oak barrels where it aged for 21 months before being bottled.
CASES: 52
SOLD OUT