Nose
This delicate pale salmon Rosé greets you with vibrant aromas of bright strawberry cherry and pomegranate.
Palate
The aromas and flavors of this 2014 Brut Rosé are strongly influenced by a preponderance of Pinot Noir in the blend, while a small amount of Chardonnay contributes structure and an extended finish.
Bright red fruit adding red apple and a touch of citrus zest. The texture is full and creamy continuing on to a crisp mineral finish.
Harvest
The 2014 growing season got off to an early start with budbreak about two weeks earlier than average. A late winter weather system brought in enough rain to supply the vines through bloom, and mild warm spring weather gave us good fruit set. Mild weather through the growing season without rain events or heat spikes was optimal for the development of the fruit. The early spring brought on an early harvest with average size yields of excellent fruit. This is looking to be an outstanding vintage.
Winemaking
Only the first pressing of these selected Carneros grapes is used to make this delicious Rosé. Some of the Pinot Noir grapes are left in skin contact for 36 hours to give this Rosé its pale salmon color, while also attributing some of the delicate aromas and flavors of Pinot Noir itself.
Grapes are hand picked and transported to the winery in small bins where they are gently whole-cluster pressed to retain the delicate vibrancy and freshness. This wine is fermented in stainless steel tanks at 55-60°F. The winemaking team assembles the final blend from 20 base wines, hand selected from our best press fraction, cuvée. The final blend contains 25% of Pinot Noir grapes that were cold macerated for 36 to 48 hours to develop color and bright aromas without bitter compounds.
Aging
Bottled and aged sur-lie in our caves for 2 years before disgorging.
Appearance
Pale salmon color.
Food Pairing
Delicious as an apéritif or with a wide range of cuisine, the Brut Rose is an exceptionally versatile wine and will pair with most dishes. Try with fresh oysters on the half shell, grilled prawns, salmon, lobster, mussels, olives or herbed nuts. Wonderful with mustard roasted pork loin or spiced chicken recipe. The Brut Rosé is a superb cheese wine, try with a variety of goat cheeses; also complements the hard-to-pair artichoke.
