Our Rating
Santa Barbara County
Cabernet Sauvignon
If you think Santa Barbara is all Pinot and Chardonnay, think again. The 2017 Dark Water Reserve Cabernet Sauvignon from Happy Canyon shows just how far this coastal region has come in crafting big reds that rival those from Napa and beyond. This bottle is bold, layered with complexity, and built to go the distance. It’s the kind of wine that quietly demands four hours in a decanter and a little patience, but rewards every minute.
About the Winery
Tucked into the eclectic Lompoc Wine Ghetto, a cluster of unassuming industrial spaces housing some of Santa Barbara County’s most exciting wineries, Dark Water Winery stands out, not just for the wines, but for the story behind them. Born from the friendship between Reggie Pagaling, a respected elder of the Santa Ynez Band of Chumash Indians, and Dave Mazzonetto, a seasoned vintner with roots deep in Italian winemaking traditions.
The team emphasizes hand-crafted methods, allowing for extended maceration and generous barrel aging. The goal? To let the fruit and land speak, but with some old-world accent. The name “Dark Water” reflects both depth and place, an homage to the shadows, the layers, and the stories within every bottle.
This is not a winery chasing volume or trends. It’s small, focused, and producing some of the most compelling Cabs coming out of Santa Barbara County right now.
About the Winemaker
Dave Mazzonetto may not be a household name (yet), but spend just a few minutes with him and you’ll know you’re talking to someone who’s all in. Born into a family with multiple generations of winemaking heritage in Italy, Dave brings both reverence and rebellion to his craft. His style is deliberate, expressive, and deeply personal.
In person, he’s thoughtful and animated when talking about wine, less about ego, more about process. He describes Dark Water as a passion project, and it shows. His approach leans heavily into traditional techniques: lots of skin contact, time in oak, and minimal intervention.
Look
First impressions matter, and this one delivers. In the glass, it pours a deep ruby color with high viscosity, legs that hang around like they’ve got nowhere else to be. It’s clear, concentrated, and almost brooding in appearance, hinting at what’s to come.
Smell
From the moment it hits the glass, the aromas leap out. Pronounced notes of black cherry and blueberry lead the charge, backed by oak and that telltale Happy Canyon earthiness. Tobacco and leather add a savory layer, while subtle violet and licorice give the nose a lift. There’s even a green flash of bell pepper, classic to Cabernet but well-integrated here. The alcohol is noticeable on the nose, but not in a hot way, more like a slow burn.
Taste
On the palate, this wine is a textbook example of what extended maceration and careful barrel aging can achieve. Black cherry and blackberry take the lead again, but there’s more here: the slatey edge of graphite, the slight char of toasted oak, and a backbone of tobacco that gives it a grounding depth. The violet reappears on the palate, floral but not perfumed, and that licorice note lingers alongside a pop of green bell pepper.
Dry, with medium acidity and firm, high tannins, this is no featherweight. It’s full-bodied and high in alcohol, fifteen percent, but again, balanced within the structure. The flavor intensity is pronounced, and the finish is impressively long, fading slowly with dark fruit and a flicker of minerality.
Decanting isn’t just a suggestion here, it’s a requirement. Give it at least four hours, and you’ll see the tannins soften and the aromatic complexity unfold like a novel you thought you understood in chapter one, but didn’t really until the end.
The 2017 Dark Water Reserve Cabernet Sauvignon is not a wine for quick sips or casual pours. It’s a wine to sit with, preferably next to something rich and roasted, or maybe just a fireplace and some good conversation. It reflects a region still proving itself in the Cabernet category, and a winemaker with the patience and precision to bring that potential to life.
Santa Barbara isn’t trying to be Napa, and this wine doesn’t want to be a copy. It has its own identity, ripe fruit, firm structure, coastal nuance, and a thoughtful hand behind it. With a drinking window that stretches out to 2037, this bottle has time on its side. But if you’ve got the time now, and a few hours for decanting, it’s already speaking volumes.
USA
Santa Barbara County
Cabernet Sauvignon
15%
Dave Mazzonetto
4 Hours
Now to 2037
Dark Water Winery
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