Happy June Gloom:

Of course, we jest, slightly. From our many years in Hermosa Beach and the last 21 up here in Santa Barbara County, we are all too well acquainted with the all-day overcast skies at the beaches in June in California. Fortunately, over the hill here in the Santa Ynez Valley, June Gloom typically burns off by the afternoon, leaving brilliant sunshine and light to moderate breezes, but that thick marine layer moderates temperatures significantly. Those marine layer days in June and July have much to do with our long growing season. So, yes, with apologies to our beachside brethren, we do celebrate the summer weather pattern responsible in part for the amazing wines of Santa Barbara.

The marine layer, as we have discussed for years, is critical to Sauvignon Blanc in Happy Canyon. The (almost) daily wind and fog that creep up the Santa Ynez River cool the warm, sometimes very hot days in the eastern part of the Santa Ynez Valley. These cooling ocean influences give Santa Ynez a spectacular diurnal swing, often 40 and sometimes even 50 degrees in a day. It is typical in July or August to have daytime highs of 95-100, with nighttime lows in the low 50’s. Thus, we get great ripeness in Happy Canyon from the abundant daytime sunshine and warmth, while the cool and cold nights arrest vine activity and allow retention of critical acidity. In 2025, the classic Santa Barbara County weather pattern worked to perfection upon an almost perfect yield of grapes at excellent, well managed vineyards in Happy Canyon.

2025 was a dry, generally cool vintage overall with exceptional quality. Winter was extremely mild, with very little rainfall. There was some precipitation in March, but overall rain for the season was 6-8 inches, far below average. With little rain, budbreak was early, but canopy growth was slow in the cool Spring. Yields in the Sauvignon Blanc were solid, not excessive. Summer was almost non-existent, particularly in July. August saw some warming in Happy Canyon, but with a thick marine layer overnight and into morning. The consistently warm August days helped the Sauvignon Blanc march to ripeness, and we began harvesting in late August. Wines showed great ripeness and mouthfeel with the typical tropical fruit notes, but the cool season kept acidities in great shape, giving excellent structure to the wine. Indeed, finished pHs were in the 3.2-3.3 range across the board, and this blend finished at 3.27 pH and 6.8 g TA.

Per Acre Farming, Fermentation & Blending

Top notch, per acre farming is the key here, as we prune and shoot thin for drastically lower yields than in the case of the conventional grape farming protocols. In 2025, the Happy Canyon averaged 3.42 tons per acre, which is very low for the prolific Sauvignon Blanc. The lower yields provide dramatically more intense aromas and flavors, with far less of the grassy notes (from a compound called pyrazine). These spectacular grapes are hand harvested at or before dawn with careful field sorting personally by us (if you happen to see a 50+ year old guy on a trailer at 6:30 am, it is undoubtedly John, Brandon or Steve), and these clean grapes are quickly rushed to the winery and whole cluster pressed and the juice put in tank for overnight settling. The next day the juice is transferred to a mix of stainless steel and oak barrels, a small percentage new. The grapes go through spontaneous (native) fermentation and at dryness, the barrels are simply topped up and stored. Malolactic fermentation is inhibited to preserve freshness and energy.  After eight or nine months, we painstakingly select the wines for the Happy Canyon wine, and we then reserve a few barrels each for the single vineyard Sauvignon Blancs, which get an extra six to eight months of aging on the lees.

For the Happy Canyon, we choose lots that have a more energetic, taut, and lively character, along with the depth and concentration that these fabulous vineyards provide. The wine is aged for a total of 8 months on the lees (no stirring), before it is blended, cold stabilized with a light fining (plant and soil-based fining agents) and gently cross-flow filtered for bottling.

The 2025 version of the Happy Canyon Sauvignon Blanc is 47% Vogelzang, 30% Grassini, 21% Grimm’s Bluff and 2% Two Wolves. The wine was aged in 74% neutral oak barrels and 26% stainless steel, with 80% Clone 1 and 20% Musque. The wine is delicious out of the gate showing mixed tropical fruits, crisp citrus-laced acidity, minerals and a touch of fresh herbs. A recent tasting of library wines showed this wine can easily improve for 3-5 years and hold for 10.

 

Also Available – Last of the 2023 Single Vineyard Sauvignon Blancs
Speaking of Sauvignon Blanc, there is a smattering of the fantastic 2023 single vineyard wines left. After roughly a year in bottle, these wines are really singing right now. They will, however not last for long, less than 25 cases left of each of these beauties.Scores:
Grassini – 95 Points Cristaldi, 94 Points Vinous (Wine Club – October 2025)
Grimm’s Bluff – 96 Points Cristaldi
Vogelzang – 96 Points Cristaldi, 95 Points Vinous (Wine Club, February 2026)These were the top scoring Sauvignon Blancs from both critics, with Billy Norris of Vinous calling the Vogelzang, “…one of the best domestic Sauvignon Blancs I have ever tasted”.Enjoy these Sauvignon Blancs now and for the next 5-15 years.

 

Visiting the Santa Ynez Valley

Early summer is a wonderful time to visit us.  Long days with abundant sunshine give a festive feel to the valley, and we think wines taste even better on sunny days. You know the Dragonette Tasting Room staff (tenures from 5-11 years now!) will treat you right, with the perfect balance of education and fun. Come see us!