Winemaker Notes
Professional Ratings
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Jeb Dunnuck
Blackcurrants, black cherries, blueberries, leafy herbs, and underbrush notes all emerge from the 2016 Cabernet Franc Tinaquaic Vineyard. Beautifully textured, medium to full-bodied, and elegant, with fine tannins, this elegant Cabernet Franc from Santa Barbara County can be drunk today or cellared for 10-15 years. Its purity and precision are what makes this so special. Made from 88% Cabernet Franc and 12% Petit Verdot aged 22 months in a mix of 45% new French and American oak, drink it any time over the coming decade or so.
Cabernet Franc, a proud parent of Cabernet Sauvignon, is the subtler and more delicate of the Cabernets. Today Cabernet Franc produces outstanding single varietal wines across the wine-producing world. Somm Secret—One of California's best-kept secrets is the Happy Canyon appellation of Santa Barbara. Here Cabernet Franc shines as a single varietal wine or in blends, expressing sumptuous fruit, savory aromas and polished tannins.
A lesser-known but elite AVA within the larger Santa Barbara district, the Santa Maria Valley AVA runs precisely west to east starting near the coast. The valley funnels cool, Pacific Ocean air to the vineyards more inland, allowing grapes a longer hang time to ripen evenly and achieve their full potential by harvest time. Combined with minimal rainfall, consistent warm sunshine, and well-drained soils, it is an ideal environment for grape growing.
Many of the wineries here are small and highly respected, having established a reputation in the 1970s and 80s for producing excellent Central Coast wines like Pinot Noir and Chardonnay. More recently, Syrah has also proven quite successful in the region. Many vineyards are owned by growers who sell their grapes to other wineries, so it is common to see the same vineyard name on bottlings from different wineries. Bien Nacido Vineyard is perhaps the best-known and most prestigious.