Outward Wines Curtis Vineyard Cabernet Franc Santa Ynez Valley, 2021

Located in the heart of the Santa Ynez Valley, the position of Curtis Vineyard benefits from both relative warmth during the day and extreme diurnal temperature shifts at night. This ensures superior ripening of Bordeaux and Rhone varietals, while allowing the grapes to retain acidity.

In 2021, the grapes spent 21 days on the skins and were fermented with 50% whole cluster inclusion. We performed only gentle pour-overs to encourage carbonic maceration character in the whole clusters. After fermentation, the wine was basket pressed and aged in neutral French oak barrels for 10 months before bottling without fining or filtration.

This Cab Franc offers lively fruit character as well as nice savory, pyrazine aromas with hints of green peppercorn, black currant, and mineral, complemented by pomegranate and fresh berries from the whole cluster carbonic portion. The wine is savory and spicy, yet fruit-driven on the palate with supple tannins, and a lengthy finish that will make you want to keep going back.