Open Year Round
About Us:
At the organic boutique winery of Casa Barranca, we employ the finest Old World traditions with appropriate contemporary tools and techniques to handcraft extraordinary wine. We believe in organic, natural, and sustainable practices as we continue to strive for an optimal balance in our approach to wine making.
Because we are committed to the health and vitality of our bodies and planet, we make our wines from organic grapes, which have either a low level of sulfites ("made with organic grapes"), or no sulfites added ("organic wine"). In much the same way that fresh-picked produce at your local organic farmers' market makes for the tastiest gourmet delights, we firmly believe in the value of using organically grown grapes to craft the finest boutique wines.
Our ICO certified organic vineyard consists of organic Syrah, organic Grenache, organic Semillon, and organic viognier grapes which thrive in the hot Mediterranean like climate of the Ojai Valley - akin to the southern Rhone region of France. We use natural, organic nutrients (like the squeezed grape matter left over after pressing) to fertilize our vines, which helps us to make the ultimate in boutique wines made from organic grapes.
Our winery facility is the first certified organic winery on the Central Coast. It was converted from a century-old subterranean stone water cistern, which we excavated 15 feet down one side, and cut through two feet of stone wall to gain access.
In building the tiered shelving system in the winery for our gravity racking protocol, we used local craftsmen who employed Old World skills like "mortis and tenon," and "scarf joinery," and who finished the walls in a "board and batten" style. Our press "hopper" (the funnel we use to dump the fermented grapes into the press) is crafted of oak and is inspired by Greene & Greene design. Both the estate and winery draw their water from an artesian spring and are powered by solar energy.