Winemaker Notes
Lo-Fi's commitment to sustainability and organic practices is reflected in their winemaking process. These grapes were carefully hand harvested and grown using only organic methods. They then fermented the grapes using the carbonic maceration technique, with 100% whole clusters being utilized in large sealed oak tanks. To ensure a thorough fermentation, they perform daily pump overs and remove any excess juice. After nearly two weeks, the grapes are pressed and the juice blended back with the previously removed juice and allowed to complete fermentation. It was then racked to barrels and concrete tank the following day. Lo-Fi relies on native yeasts and bacteria for both primary and secondary fermentation, and avoid the use of sulfur during harvest. To stay true to their minimalist (lo-fi) philosophy, they add a total of 25 ppm so2, and the wine is bottled unfined and unfiltered.
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.
Ranging from cool and foggy in the west to warm and dry in the east, the Santa Ynez Valley is a climatically diverse growing area. The most expansive AVA within the larger Santa Barbara County region, Santa Ynez is also home to a wide variety of soil types and geographical features. The appellation is further divided into four distinct sub-AVAs—Sta. Rita Hills, Ballard Canyon, Los Olivos District and Happy Canyon—each with its own defining characteristics.
A wide selection of grapes is planted here—more than sixty different varieties, and counting. Chardonnay and Pinot Noir dominate in the chilly west, while Zinfandel, Rhône blends, and Bordeaux blends rule the arid east. Syrah is successful at both ends of the valley, with a lean and peppery, Old-World sensibility closer to the coast and lush berry fruit further inland.