Wine Specs
Vintage
2021
Varietal
Pinot Noir
Appellation
Eola-Amity
Harvest Date
September 9, 2021
Alcohol %
12.5
2021 Lingua Franca Estate Barrel Aged Rosé
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This estate-grown rosé is aged in oak to add depth, while still displaying bright, fresh fruit.
Wine Profile
Tasting Notes
Bright strawberry and lemon highlights with the precision and freshness that often is wanting in rosé wines. This rosé is made from a selection of Lingua Franca Estate fruit whose pedigree comes through even in this barrel-aged wine.
Vineyard Notes
The 2021 growing season started off with an ice storm and then progressed to a misty spring, but no damage was done to flowering. We experienced a late but healthy fruit set. At the end of June, the Valley suffered its historic “Heat Dome” event of 116 degrees Fahrenheit. However, the resiliency of the soils at the Lingua Franca Estate Vineyard allowed our vines to ripen undeterred. The weather for the rest of the summer was moderate and harvest commenced with a large crop of fruit in excellent condition, unthreatened by rain or heat. We thought it would be lovely to make some estate-grown rosé again, the first time we’ve produced rosé since 2016, and we turned a small portion of this wine into a reserve quality cuvée aged in barrels, and bottled exclusively for our club members.
Production Notes
The Ponzi Heritage Block, Pommard-clone Pinot Noir from our most productive block on the Lingua Franca Estate has always made complex, round wines with an exuberance of red cherry and rose-petal flavors. Our team hand-harvested the fruit for this wine earlier than they harvested the grapes for our red wines to preserve the freshness of the finished wine. The end result is a very bright and mouthwatering rosé. Aging this special lot of rosé in oak has made the flavor profile rounder and deeper, bringing out subtle floral and mineral notes. This is a very special, limited offering for our Wine Club members.
Food Pairing Notes
This is a great wine for entertaining friends, with a platter of charcuterie or cheese, light shellfish hors d’oeuvres, fried calamari or other snacks. It is elegant enough to enjoy with grilled salmon or would pair beautifully with a clam linguini. Because of the extra depth and roundness that barrel aging gives the bright fruit, it could also be served with grilled pork tenderloin with a honey-sage marinade or a simple roast chicken with lemon and thyme.
