Outward - 'Potrero' - Cabernet Sauvignon - San Luis Obispo Coast, SLO Coast, CA - 2024

Notes from the Winery/Importer

Potrero Vineyard is located deep in the Arroyo Grande Valley and is part of the 3500-acre Rancho Arroyo Grande property, adjacent to the Garcia Wilderness. It is not unusual to spot foxes, bobcats, wild pigs, coyotes, and even the elusive central coast bear roaming amongst the vines here!

This site was planted in the 90s, and is home to these unique head-trained, dry-farmed Cab Sauv vines, which produce grapes of incredible flavor and concentration. The soil here is predominantly sandy loam with a subsoil of diatomaceous earth.

We harvested at two different times, roughly one week apart. We destemmed 100% of the grapes, and each lot was fermented on the skins for roughly 20 days. After fermentation, the wine was pressed and aged in neutral French oak barrels and one puncheon for 10 months.

This wine is about showcasing the purity of Cabernet Sauvignon: an ode to the early Cabs of California.

Notes on the Producer

Outward Wines is a partnership between Natalie Siddique and Ryan Pace.
We are focused on producing small-lot, site-specific wines from California’s Central Coast, primarily sourcing fruit from Santa Barbara County. All of the vineyards that we work with are farmed using sustainable, organic, or biodynamic practices and are located in close proximity to the cold Pacific Ocean.

In the cellar we strive to minimize inputs throughout the winemaking process in order to allow for a clear picture of what the site can provide naturally, and to give the wine a true sense of time and place. To that end, we utilize spontaneous yeast to carry out fermentations, and bottle without fining or filtration where possible.

While we do our best to allow the wines to speak for themselves, we also recognize the role and impact of the human element in terroir. Our hands and our decisions are reflected in the wines that we produce, so it is not only an expression of site, but it is our expression of site.

Our winemaking approach is informed by the places we have travelled, the background and experience we have in the wine industry, the wines we have enjoyed and been inspired by, the food we prepare and consume, and the friends and mentors that we consult. All winemaking dogma aside, at the end of the day our goal for these wines is for them to be delicious and to provide pleasure to the end consumer.

Outward is about expression, exploration, adventure, and the unknown. We consistently seek to push ourselves out of our comfort zones whether through adventurous pursuits in the outdoors, working with new vineyards, or simply challenging our own philosophy and approach to winemaking. Outward is our ever-evolving winemaking adventure and we hope you will join us for the ride.