2021 Corbeau Rusé

On the nose, the Corbeau Rusé delights with aromas of red fruit tart, plum and sweet Gardenias, generously
followed by luscious flavors of blueberry, black cherry, and ripe fig, on a silky palate of harmonious fluidity and
balance, finishing with an intriguing combination of thyme and gamey allspice.

Over thousands of years, volcanic activity, massive floods, and runoff from the Mayacamas’ mountain range
have created the nutrient-rich alluvial, and loamy soils of Lake County – which are perfect for growing
grapevines. In the summer months, the mountain climate (1350 ft. – 3000 ft.) sees hot daytime temperatures,
yet the vines recover and respire at night due to cool coastal breezes pulled in from the Pacific Ocean by the
vast size of Clear Lake (the largest natural lake in California). This distinctive combination of factors (mountain
elevation, rich volcanic soils, and hot days and cool nights) all work in concert to create a unique terroir that
allows us to achieve the ideal balance of ripeness and fruit intensity, while highlighting complex fruit flavors
with refreshing acidity.

This is our inaugural year with the Corbeau Rusé, and our goal was to
make a Rhone-style wine with an uplifting note of Lake County red-fruit
liveliness. This wine consists of 60% Grenache, 30% Syrah, 7% Viognier
and 3% Zinfandel. We picked slightly early to retain our signature
freshness on the palate and then co-fermented the fruit together to cultivate complexity. After fermentation,
the wine is stirred every 2-4 weeks, to develop texture and preserve the vivaciousness of the fruit. The grapes
were hand harvested and picking occurred at night to retain freshness. We employed a moderately cool
fermentation to boost the fruit and floral notes, and a small addition of Mendocino Zinfandel was utilized to
enhance the uplifting elements of the wine.

Corbeau Rusé translates as ‘Mischievous Crow,’ paying homage to the origination of our winery’s name:
“Dancing Crow Vineyards.” It twas the dance-like frolicking of a murder of crows, while mischievously
thieving dozens of straw vine markers during the initial planting of our vineyard, that gave our wines their
name. This Rhone-style red blend honors our playful origins and affection for French wines.