2021 anti california california cabernet

story

The goal for this wine was to shatter the idea that California Cabernet needs to be harvested ripe and made into a heavily oaked beast of a wine. It turns out that the 2021 vintage could not have been more cooperative in that we were able to let this wine hang on the vine and mature its flavors without a significant increase in sugar or a loss of acid. We harvested the fruit at just under 21 brix, and everyone thought we were crazy. The result of a careful carbonic ferment is a wine with juicy blue and black fruits, playful aromatic spices, and just enough tannin to give the wine some structure.

Low abv, crushable, and amazing when served slightly chilled at a summertime backyard bbq. Blueberries, black currant, clove, lavender.

winemaking

The grapes were harvested quite early for typical Cabernet, which meant the integrity of the clusters was supreme. We gently dumped the single ton (whole cluster) into an open top fermenter and foot stomped the top layer. We then added a native pied de cuve, and completely sealed the tank. It fermented carbonically without touching for just under three weeks. We then gently basket pressed the fruit so as to not extract too much from the stems, and gravity fed it to neutral french oak barrels where it finished primary and secondary  fermentation, and aged for six months.

Bottled unfined and unfiltered, nothing added/nothing taken away. 

vineyard

Located in the Los Olivos District A.V.A, these Cabernet Sauvignon vines are in the center of the Santa Ynez Valley. About 200 ft. above the valley floor, they receive ample sun and coastal breezes, which was particularly well balanced in the 2021 vintage. It is certainly a cooler growing site overall, which provides the framework for the alternative style of the wine. The vines were planted in the mid 1980’s and have been farmed sustainably since their inception.

varietal: 100%  cabernet sauvignon

ava: los olivos district

alcohol: 11.2%

ph: 3.67

titratable acidity: 6.1 g/l

harvest date: 10/7/2021

brix at harvest: 20.3

press date: 10/26/2021

processing: 100% carbonic whole cluster + basket pressed

elevage: 9 mo. in neutral french oak

cases: 69

bottling date: 8/19/2022

tech sheet download