Ad Ripa, Cabernet Sauvignon, Happy Canyon of Santa Barbara, California 2022

This Cabernet Sauvignon embodies the unique characteristics of the Happy Canyon of Santa Barbara AVA, where the convergence of the warm eastern reaches of the Santa Ynez Valley and the cooling influence of the Pacific create ideal conditions for Bordeaux varieties.

With this appellation-level bottling, Ad Ripa highlights the harmony and balance that the region naturally lends to Cabernet, capturing both its structure and elegance while staying true to the distinct voice of Happy Canyon.

Since 2010, winemaker Justin Willett has worked with Cabernet Sauvignon and other Bordeaux varieties grown in this unique eastern corner of the Santa Ynez Valley. Happy Canyon has revealed itself as one of California’s most exciting regions for Cabernet-based wines. The ocean’s influence — much like Bordeaux’s relationship with the Gironde — plays a defining role in shaping the wines grown here.

The name Ad Ripa, Latin for “by the shore,” is both a nod to the region’s coastal influence and a tribute to Willett’s family story. Nearly 60 years ago, his parents drove west from Indiana and landed in Santa Barbara. When they reached the coast, his mother turned to his father and said, “Stop. This is home.” That spirit of arrival is at the heart of the brand.