Most Sauvignon Blanc falls into one of two camps. There’s the green, grassy style — sharp acidity, aggressively herbaceous, sometimes almost vegetal. And there’s the tropical style — ripe pineapple and mango, lush to the point of losing its edges. Both have their fans. Neither is what we’re after.
Our Estate Sauvignon Blanc sits between those two extremes on purpose. Soft florals, subtle fruit, coastal freshness, balanced texture. It’s why guests who visit the Cabin often say some version of the same thing: “I don’t usually like Sauvignon Blanc, but I like this one.”
That reaction doesn’t happen by accident. It’s the result of where the fruit grows, when we pick it, and how we handle it in the winery.
The vineyard. All of the fruit comes from Carhartt Mesa, an elevated plateau on Rancho Santa Ynez with steady coastal breezes that keep the grapes cool during the growing season. The vines were planted in 2007, making them some of the oldest on the estate. This is the only estate white wine we currently produce, and the site is the reason it works — the ocean influence preserves the acidity and aromatics that make Sauvignon Blanc worth drinking.
The harvest. In 2025, we picked the block in two separate passes. The northern portion came in first — that fruit was brighter, more citrus-driven, with real tension and acidity. About ten days later, we went back for the southern portion, which had developed more ripeness, softer edges, and fuller texture. Harvesting in two passes like this gives us two different expressions of the same vineyard to work with at blending time.
The winery. The lots are fermented separately across stainless steel tanks and neutral oak barrels. Stainless preserves the freshness and keeps the acid clean. Neutral oak — barrels that have already been used enough that they’re not adding vanilla or toast flavor — gives the wine subtle texture so it never feels overly sharp or thin. Some lots get native yeast fermentation, others get inoculated yeast, and the combination adds aromatic layering you wouldn’t get from a single approach.
The blend. This is where the wine comes together. Brooke and Chase taste through the individual lots and decide on the final proportions. The earlier-picked fruit brings energy. The later-picked fruit brings depth. The stainless lots bring freshness. The oak lots bring body. The percentages shift from vintage to vintage — there’s no formula, just decisions based on what the fruit gave us that year.
The 2025 opens with citrus blossom, white peach, and a subtle sea-spray quality on the nose. On the palate, there’s passionfruit and lemon curd balanced by green tea and a quiet mineral finish. The texture is intentionally in the middle — not overly lean, not overly round. Medium body, bright acid, no sharp edges.
Serve it cold with goat cheese, a fennel salad, or grilled shrimp. Or just order a glass on the patio at the Cabin and let the staff walk you through it. They know this wine well — they helped write the playbook on it.
The 2025 Estate Sauvignon Blanc is available now in limited quantities. Shop here or visit us to taste it in person.
