Our 2013 salmon-pink hued Rosé has expressive aromatic notes of floral white peach, delicate watermelon, with hints of tea roses. This bright, dry Rosé has a crisp red fruit palate with layers of citrus balanced by the Fort Ross Vineyard’s signature minerality and refreshing acidity. It is an incredibly versatile Rosé as it perfectly complements Asian and Indian cuisine, chicken dishes and is an excellent aperitif.
90 Points - Wine Enthusiast
A saignée-method rosé given three months in neutral French oak, this wine is dark raspberry in color. Vibrant and fresh, it offers swirls of spicy herb and wild strawberry, a hint of watermelon adding to its mouthwatering quality. Dry and savory, it also has some meat on its bones, a lovely go-to for meals of all kinds. —V.B.
★★★★★ Exceptional - Restaurant Wine
Medium full reddish pink. Very fine quality: supple, rich, and balanced; a wine with strawberry jam, watermelon, cherry, peach, rosehips, and grapefruit aromas/flavors, and a long, harmonious finish. Terrific quality and value.
Wine Profile
Tasting Notes
Our 2013 salmon-pink hued Rosé has expressive aromatic notes of floral white peach, delicate watermelon, with hints of tea roses. This bright, dry Rosé has a crisp red fruit palate with layers of citrus balanced by the Fort Ross Vineyard’s signature minerality and refreshing acidity. It is an incredibly versatile Rosé as it perfectly complements Asian and Indian cuisine, chicken dishes and is an excellent aperitif.
Vineyard Notes
From our mountain vineyard that overlooks the Sonoma Coast and now part of the new Fort Ross-Seaview American Viticultural Area, Fort Ross Vineyard & Winery produces limited quantities of single vineyard, Estate grown, cool-climate Pinot Noir, Chardonnay and Pinotage. With spectacular views of the Pacific Ocean less than one mile away, the vineyard is divided into 30 separate blocks, one-half to two acres in size, that rapidly fall from 1700 down to 1200 feet above sea level. Owners, Lester and Linda Schwartz and their small crew began preparing the 50 acre vineyard in 1994. It took them 4 years of preparation before they could begin planting the first vines in 1998.
Production Notes
After heavy winter rains, the spring was warm and dry, followed by a dry summer. The vines began growing quickly and fruitfully. To keep the crop load modest, we went through the vineyard three times to thin the crop and position the canes and the bunches. After an unexpected rainfall in mid-September, the vineyard had time to dry out before the harvest began. The Pinot Noir blocks were harvested between September 12 – 26, the Chardonnay blocks between September 20 – 22 and the Pinotage on October 1.
Winemaker Notes
Jeff Pisoni. This Rosé was made from 100% Pinot Noir, using the French saignée method. After hand-sorting, the grapes were de-stemmed then allowed to soak on the skins for 24 hours. A small amount of free-run juice was then "bled" and separated from the recently crushed grapes and fermented without further contact with the skins and seeds. The wine was barrel fermented and aged for 3 months in neutral French oak barrels.
