Lo-Fi Cabernet Franc Santa Barbara County 2023

Black cherry magic marker on the nose before a swirl. Then fruit opens up with strawberry, blueberry and vanilla. Profoundly tannic and salty too. Some crunchy acid hiding behind the tight cotton. Definitely a different, light and fun Cabernet Franc.

Lo-Fi's commitment to sustainability and organic practices is reflected in their winemaking process. These grapes were carefully hand-harvested and grown using only organic methods. They fermented the grapes using the carbonic maceration technique, with 100% whole clusters being utilized in large sealed oak tanks. To ensure a thorough fermentation, they performed daily pump overs and removed excess juice. After nearly two weeks, the grapes were pressed and the juice blended back with the previously removed juice and allowed to complete fermentation. The juice was then racked to barrels and concrete tank the following day. Lo-Fi relies on native yeasts and bacteria for both primary and secondary fermentation and avoided the use of sulfur during harvest. To stay true to their minimalist (lo-fi) philosophy, they added a total of 30ppm SO2, and the wine was bottled unfined and unfiltered.

Lo-Fi is a partnership between two lifelong friends who believe in hand crafted honest wines that are made for everyday drinking. Wines to be enjoyed, not to be collected. Easy drinking lower alcohol wines made to pair well with all types of foods, from pizza to paté. They believe in neutral barrels, native yeasts, little to no sulfur additions, and no adjustment of pH. They embrace the "nothing added, nothing taken away" philosophy that gives birth to wines that are young, vibrant and alive. But in all reality, Lo-Fi is less about what it is and more about what it is not. It is not over-manipulated. It is not over-extracted. It is not over-ripe and it is not over-priced.