North America | Napa | Matthaisson | Rosé

Rosé (2022)

VARIETALS
34% Grenache, 32% Barbera, 16% Counoise, 14% Mourvèdre, 4% other red grapes

NOTES

VINEYARD: WINDMILL (Dunnigan Hills AVA, Yolo County) - for Grenache, Counoise, and Mourvèdre
Sergio Villanueva farms the Windmill vineyard for the owner Jeff Morgan under Matthiasson's direction and tutelage. He knows every vine practically by name, and carefully nurtures the vineyard with tremendous pride. The Windmill Vineyard is situated on pinkish gravelly alluvial soils in the Dunnigan Hills AVA of Yolo County. It is a hot climate, and the fruit ripens fast, allowing for a harvest of ripe fruit at low sugar levels, keeping the alcohol moderate and texture soft and light. Certified organic.

MULLER (Dunnigan Hills AVA, Yolo County) - for Barbera
Gio Ferrendelli is part of the iconic Muller family, diversified farmers in Yolo County (they grow everything from tomatoes and peppers to melons and pumpkins to almonds and walnuts in addition to a small amount of winegrapes). As a passion project he tends the grapes that he planted to match the warm climate, the foremost being Barbera, which holds its acidity and bright fruit even with the warm nights. Farmed organically to Matthiasson's specifications for which they pay extra.

VINIFICATION: Grapes were pressed whole-cluster then settled in a cold tank for 24 hours. Wine fermented and aged “sur lees” in stainless steel barrels. To preserve the acidity MLF was prevented. Barrels were shut tight, without topping/stirring, and the wine was never racked, fined, nor cold-stabilized, but since it is ML negative it was filtered before bottling.

The fruit is grown specifically for rosé, which means that the vines are kept a little happier than for red wine, making plump juicy grapes that are vibrant and refreshing. To capture that zesty brightness, harvest is conducted very early, barely past veraison, similar to the level of ripeness for sparkling wine, so that the fruit is captured when it is high-toned, crisp, and refreshing.

3028 cases produced