Vintage Summary

Kick On Ranch sits about ten miles east of the Pacific Ocean in the gently rolling hills of the Los Alamos Valley. It has a very similar orientation to the Sta. Rita Hills directly south, in that it is an offshoot of the transverse range that makes Santa Barbara County unique. Wind and fog come in uninhibited by any mountain range to keep temperatures moderate/cool throughout the spring and summer months. The soils are comprised of mostly sand, via the wind, known as eolian sand. The block of Riesling Stirm works with sits on a stream terrace, so there is some clay and chirt cobbles at the lower elevations of the vineyard. Not your average year, but possibly a sign of the future. 2020 started with less than average winter rainfall, though a few timely early spring storms helped to saturate the soil at the beginning of the season. A series of moderate heatwaves in June followed by a month of impenetrable fog followed by another series of brutal heat waves in August and throughout fall. It was amazing to harvest anything in 2020.

Winemaking

The grapes were picked by hand and given 48 hours of whole cluster maceration to extract tannins, aroma, and flavor compounds in the skins, followed by pressing the grapes. No sulfur was added to allow the juice to oxidize slightly. After a 36 hour cold settle in tank, the clean juice was racked off the solids to stainless steel tanks for spontaneous fermentation. Sulfur was added a month prior to bottling. Racked to tank one week prior to bottling. Unfined and unfiltered. Bottled June 3rd, 2021. 128 cases produced.

Wine Stats

Brix at harvest: 20.2

Titratable Acidity: 6.3 g/L

pH: 3.29

Residual Sugar: 0.4 g/L

Alcohol: 11.4%