Region: Santa Ynez Valley, California

Varietal: 100% Cabernet Sauvignon

Tasting Notes: Classic notes of black cherry, chocolate, mint and peppercorns. An honest expression of Cabernet Sauvignon made with minimal intervention, leading to tons and flavor and concentration in a old school style that favors freshness and finesse without sacrificing richness.

Producer: Roman Ceremony Winery was founded by Eric and Lyle Railsback, two brothers with lifelong roots in wine. Eric’s early passion for Burgundy and Chablis developed in high school, hiding prized bottles under his bed through college, while Lyle’s pursuit of wine knowledge led him to Austria, where he connected with sommelier Rajat Parr. After a decade working in restaurants, Eric returned to Santa Barbara to co-found Lieu Dit, inspired by Loire wines, while Lyle built a distinguished career in regional sales for the respected importer Kermit Lynch. Together, they eventually merged their expertise to create Railsback Frères, the parent project to Roman Ceremony, which began as a limited-production Cabernet Sauvignon for a Michelin-starred New York restaurant​.

Vineyard & Winemaking: Roman Ceremony’s Cabernet Sauvignon, now grown to a 1,000-case production, comes from two Santa Ynez Valley vineyards that offer ideal conditions for Bordeaux varieties. Sourced from gravelly loam and clay soils in the Happy Canyon and Los Olivos AVAs, the fruit is picked early to create a more refined, approachable style of Cabernet. Unlike the Provençal character of other Railsback wines, Roman Ceremony draws on the vineyard sites' Bordeaux-style richness, resulting in a Cabernet with elegance and poise. The project’s name, “Roman Ceremony,” honors wine’s ancient origins and reflects the brothers' dedication to high-quality, terroir-focused winemaking​.