Winemaker's Notes
What used to be a wine I had to force everyone to taste before they could taste anything else has now become a coveted item. I’ve even had trouble keeping enough for our household for this last year as we were sold out in about 10 days. Yet, I’m constantly looking to fine-tune this beautiful and versatile stuff. In 2010, we planned an increase in the proportion of whole-cluster pressed Syrah because of the great results we saw with experiments in 2009. Contrary to what one expects, Syrah made into pink wine actually lends a delicacy and freshness to our wine. I’m amazed at how well it harmonizes with the Zinfandel and Pinot Noir in our Rosé. Last year, I also experimented with bottle closures using Champagne bottles and crown caps (equipment I already have). I liked the result so much; I am bottling most of the 2010 Rosé with screw caps (equipment I can rent, and is easier to perform on a larger scale than crown caps – but harder to deal with than cork.). I would suggest getting some of each closure and doing your own taste trials over time. For the upcoming vintage, I’m hoping to add a little Grenache to the list of components. Happily, we doubled the production making about 400 cases this year, so it should might last thru the open house weekends this time.
