Wine Notes
Vintage:
2023
Appellation:
Sonoma Coast, Russian River, Mendocino, Santa Rita Hills
Vineyards:
Our 2023 Rosé is 100% Pinot Noir from diverse appellations: 64% Sonoma Coast, 21% Russian River, 11% Mendocino, and 4% Santa Rita Hills. These microclimates vary widely and add to the diversity of aromas and flavors. Several clones are represented including Dijon 114, 115 & 828, Pommard, Swan, Mt. Eden, Calera, and the newer French ENTAV 777 & 667 clones.
Vintage:
The 2023 growing season started out with a bang. We had a whopping 54” of rain: 3 times the 2022 season! It rained into the spring, so flowering and set were late. Set finished in late May and revealed a very large crop. Summer was “normal”. We had no huge heat spike as we did in 2022. Harvest was also “normal”, smooth, and evenly spaced with good weather.
Fermentation & Aging:
Individual lots were identified as excellent quality, blended, then fermented to dryness with a special yeast from Bandol, a coastal Rosé region in southern France near Côte d’Azur. Harvest commenced in late August and ended in early October. Harvest sugars ranged from 22.0° Brix to 27.0° Brix, and the pH from 3.1 to 3.7. Total acids were generally high, averaging 7.5 g/L. Skin contact averaged 48-50 hours, then juice was drawn off; the saignée (or bleeding) process. Fermentation temperature was 58-60°F, taking about 2 weeks in stainless steel. The wine was bottled on February 8, 2024.