Nose

Pale copper-tinged in hue, this dry Grenache rosé presents an inviting nose with an array of fruit notes, from strawberry and raspberry to pomegranate and watermelon.

Palate

On the supple palate, vibrant flavors of tangerine peel, orange blossom, and roses are carried by a beautiful acid tension, completed by a flavorful mouthwatering finish.

Growing Conditions

The beautiful Alder Ridge Vineyard is terraced into a steep south-facing, arid ridge overlooking the Columbia River on the southern edge of the Horse Heaven Hills AVA.

Harvest

An easy, mild growing season combined with low yields and a prolonged harvest resulted in wines with wonderful balance, color, and vibrant fruit. A normal but quick mid-April bud break was followed by warm spring weather. Freeze events in late 2019 lowered bud fertility, combined with rain and wind during June bloom, which resulted in unusually low yields. Heat accumulation tracked the long-term average with veraison on-time in early August. Harvest had just started when smoke from CA/OR wildfires first blew west into the Pacific Ocean then swept eastward into the Columbia River basin, and was present from the second week of September for eight days. The stage of fruit maturity, exposure timing, and the nature of this (older) smoke resulted in a minor, negligible impact. However, diffused sunlight and cooler temperatures stalled fruit maturation, extending harvest timing into October. The long growing season combined with low yields resulted in wonderful balance, length, and aromatics in the whites, and concentrated flavor, color, texture, and structure in the reds.

Bottling

Bottling Date: February 16, 2021

Winemaking

The grapes were machine-harvested in the cool morning hours and promptly delivered to the winery. The juice was fermented at cool temperatures in stainless steel tanks. The must was gently pressed, limiting oxygen exposure for enhanced aromatics. Malolactic fermentation was inhibited for a clean, crisp finish. The finished wine was cold stabilized and filtered prior to bottling.