2020 Rosé

Grenache is probably one of the most planted red wine grape varieties in the world. It ripens late, so it needs hot, dry conditions such as those found in Spain, where the grape most likely originated. You find it in many southern Rhône wines, especially Cháteauneuf-du-Pape where it is typically over 80% of the blend in a Grenache Syrah Mourvedre (GSM). Grenache is also used in most Spanish Rioja wines where it is blended with Tempranillo. Grenache is the most commonly used grape to make rosé.

In our area, the 2020 vintage is amazing!  Every wine produced is the best we have tasted yet.  This wine is unique as we thought it tasted so good that we decided to just bottle it as is that day!  So it is not filtered at all.

We resisted the temptation to pick early so that our grapes could fully ripen on the vine. Rosé was a planned wine for us this year and, being avid red wine drinkers, our aim was to produce a rosé for a red wine palate. Our wine is not a standard French Provincial rosé that is pink and sweet. It is a completely 100% dry (no sugar) wine with a rich salmon color.

This is a 100% Grenache made from our very own Apetahi Estate grapes.

Close to the end of fermentation, we fined it by using a clay slurry. This step allows the slurry to attach itself to large particles and precipitates them out of the wine. We racked the wine off the lees and clay slurry and put it into French neutral barrels for 3 months of aging. This bonds the oak tannins into the wine and allows for better ageability. We did not use malolactic fermentation.