Pale copper and orange in color, this Rosé shows off a reserved allure. Aromas of Alpine strawberry, jasmine and apple blossoms awaken the senses, trailed by succulent flavors of herbaceous watermelon, dried garden herbs and an echoing of strawberry. The finish is long and luscious, with a refreshing brightness and enthralling complexity.
During summer months, the mountain climate of Lake County sees hot daytime temperatures, yet the vines are able to recover from the heat of the day and respire at night due to cool coastal breezes, which are pulled across the Mayacamas mountain range in the evening by the vast size of Clear Lake. On the eastern side of the lake, Long Valley (soon to be the next Lake County AVA) is tucked into the hills near the remnants of dormant volcanic cinder cones. Here the vines thrive in the rich, fertile soils, and are lavishly bathed in the hot afternoon sun, yet still cooled at night. West of here, at 1,400 feet elevation, the Big Valley AVA is a mix of gravel, clay and loam soils, with intense UV daytime sunlight followed by Lake County’s signature cool nights. This distinguishing combination of factors (mountain elevations, fertile soils, hot days and cool nights) all work in concert to create a unique terroir that allows us to emulate the beautifully delicate Rosés of Provence at 12.5% alcohol – showcasing crisp, red fruit flavors with a refreshing acidity.
The fruit for our Rosé was hand-picked from a few different vineyards at between 19-21° Brix and whole cluster pressed. The Syrah and head-trained Grenache bunches were then loaded directly into the press. This wine is a blend of 82% Syrah from the Big Valley AVA and 12% Grenache from the Long Valley (in the eastern hills of Lake County) and 5% Semillon and 1% Sauvignon Blanc, for body, texture and added complexity. The fermentation and aging for our Rosé takes place in stainless steel tanks over a 3-month period, and then the wine is clarified with Bentonite clay, racked and filtered.
“I’m a big believer that Rosé can be just as great as any other wine if it is made with care and intention. When I’m in the mood for Rosé I’m looking for something fun, refreshing and drinkable. This Rosé is definitely all of those things and more. The Syrah helps to give the wine a strawberry fruit aroma and flavor and helps it hold onto some really beautiful acidity. Other flavors of lemon zest, apricot and watermelon follow suit, rounding the wine into a menagerie of delicate fruit. However, the secret ingredient is the head- trained Grenache which gives the wine a savory impression that makes this Rosé both mouthwatering and exciting. Like biting into that first luscious strawberry of the season.” – Scott Kirkpatrick
The 2022 vintage in Lake County is exhibiting very good fruit quality, with many vintners predicting wines exuding flavorful, vivacious fruit characteristics. The growing season started off with cool temperatures and a bit of rain in the spring but nothing too substantial. Throughout the growing season, temperatures remained cooler overall, and more in line with the “normal” heat patterns of the past. Harvest began a few weeks later than the previous few years but then moved rapidly due to some extremely hot days in September. However, we picked before this, and Lake County grapes are better equipped to deal with heat due to its elevation which cools temps off at night and builds more resilient grape skins. There were a few cool days around mid-September and a little rain, but fruit flavors had already developed and many lots were harvested at slightly lower Brix levels. Overall crop size for us was larger than in 2021 and the quality of fruit is on par with last year’s outstanding vintage.
