2016 Gary Farrell Pinot Noir Rosé Russian River Valley

Stony, serious, tart, and delicious

2016 Gary Farrell Pinot Noir Rosé Russian River Valley

Fruit for this rosé hails from two Dutton Ranch vineyards in the Green Valley of the Russian River Valley. The Pinot was picked intentionally for a rosé at about 21˚ Brix, then direct whole-cluster pressed and fermented in a mix of stainless steel tank and neutral oak barrels. The lots were combined after dryness and allowed to sit on lees for about two months before bottling.

The acidity is profound and dominates the palate experience (its pH is 3.16 and the TA is 7.8 g/L, for the nerds out there), but the wine mixes levity with this pointed seriousness. The profile gets a kick from barely ripe strawberries and cranberry-lime, and the finish is linear and citric, but the enchantment is manifest in the aromatics, which suggest orchard blossoms, wet stone, and lemon thyme.

It absolutely demands food. Pair it with ceviche, oysters with mignonette, salads, sushi, raw things.

13.2% abv | $32 (sample) about 400 cases made

Tags from the story
,
More from Meg Maker
Artful Wine: A field report from Emilia-Romagna
The new generation is working with traditional grapes and ancient techniques to...
Read More
0 replies on “2016 Gary Farrell Pinot Noir Rosé Russian River Valley”