Cabernet Sauvignon - Pegasus Estate Vineyards

Cabernet Sauvignon plantings have historically been few and far-between in Santa Barbara County, but that seems to be rapidly changing. The warm eastern reaches of the Santa Ynez Valley and Happy Canyon AVA have recently become hotbeds for the planting of Bordeaux grapes. Sandy soils rife with mineral rich stones dominate the region and force vines to dig deep for water and nutrients. While most of the vines here are still quite young they are already showing tremendous potential. Stylistically Santa Barbara tends to produce more restrained Bordeaux-esque wines than the rest of California - the style may be best compared to Western Sonoma or the Santa Cruz Mountains more so than Napa or Paso Robles.

Pictured here are Cabernet Sauvignon grapes from the Pegasus Estate Vineyard located in the Santa Ynez Valley AVA near the city of Solvang. This vineyard was planted in 2007 to 100% Clone 7 Cabernet Sauvignon. It sits in one of the coolest microclimates for Cab in the valley and its wines are tremendously floral, elegant, and pretty. The Pegasus Vineyard benefits from the cooling influence of the same sweeping fog that blankets the Santa Rita Hills nightly, but the fog here burns off much earlier in the day. Thanks to being planted on a steep south-facing slope the vines receive ample sunlight allowing for a long and moderate growing season. Fantastic wines are already being produced here, but look for Santa Barbara to emerge as a world-class region for Bordeaux varietals once these vines are able to fully mature.