Virtually all of the 4,000+ cases of Rancho Sisquoc's wines are sold via a mailing list or directly from the winery, so subscribers are not likely to see much of this producer's wines on retailers' shelves. Such is the case with many of Santa Barbara's highest quality wineries. This vast ranch includes over 200 acres, but most of the grapes are sold to wineries such as Robert Mondavi, Foxen, and Gainey. Rancho Sisquoc's Cabernet Sauvignon and Cabernet Franc vineyards are considered to be among the best in Santa Barbara. All their red wines possess crisp, high natural acidity, dense, almost purple saturated colors, and leafy, black fruit characters. The acidity makes them taste austere and crisp, but there is fine underlying flesh and richness. The dense purple-colored 1991 Cabernet Franc exhibits wonderful purity. Lamentably, readers will have to get on Rancho Sisquoc's mailing list in order to latch on to a few of these gems. Tel. (805) 934-4332