Ad Ripa 'Happy Canyon' Cabernet Sauvignon, Santa Ynez Valley, California 2022

The newest project from all-star Santa Barbara native winemaker, Justin Willett, 'Ad Ripa' means to the shore. All the grapes are from excellent sites planted to Cabernet Sauvignon throughout the coastal Santa Ynez River valley, particularly the Happy Canyon AVA, which has the warmest microclimate in Santa Barbara. Justin grows the grapes for this wine in two small vineyards in the Happy Canyon, entirely from Cabernet Sauvignon vines planted in 2001, 2011, 2016. The large diurnal temperature shift, further moderated by the surrounding forest, allows the to ripen slowly and fully while retaining acidity and freshness.  The Cabernet Sauvignon was hand-picked from late September to early October.  Entirely de-stemmed, the grapes were fermented by native yeasts in a large open-top oak fermenter where it macerated for two weeks with gentle pump overs. After pressing, the wine aged 22 months in 50% new French oak barrels, then was bottled unfiltered and unfined to produce a true and honest e