2019 Poseidon Vineyard “Rosé for the Bay”
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"Our family has farmed Poseidon Vineyard for over 40 years. Our vineyard abuts the extensive wetlands of northern San Francisco Bay at the very southern edge of Napa Carneros. The fogs triggered by these intertidal tracts are key to the quality of our fruit and wine. Our work is intertwined with the life of the Bay. Over the next 40 years and more, we hope to continue to farm alongside a rich, vibrant and healthy estuary." |
TASTING NOTES
Exotic aromatics of heady orange blossoms, blood orange, cherries and dill lead to flavors of watermelon, fresh-picked strawberries, rhubarb and orange zest. The finish is long and is a taut balance between zingy acidity and fresh Pinot Noir grapes. This pale pink Rosé struts alone but is better with company—it pairs well with a wide range of charcuterie.
HISTORY
Rosé for the Bay is vinified in support of the San Francisco Baykeeper. Peter Molnar, Co-Founder of Poseidon Vineyard, is a member of Baykeeper’s Board of Directors and a lifelong sailor and Bay swimmer. 100% of our winery proceeds from this limited production will go directly to Baykeeper, helping to fund their work, including buying fuel for patrol runs, paying for laboratory analysis and funding long-term legal actions to stop the Bay’s worst polluters. To learn more about the Baykeeper's efforts, click here.
VINTAGE
The 2019 growing season got off to a wet and cool start, but a moderate summer allowed for normal vine development and a slightly above-average sized crop. As the summer progressed, the vines made up for some of their late start. A comfortable fall allowed for longer hang time, good fruit maturity and excellent flavor development. The harvest started with a leisurely pace and quickened at the start of October. As a precaution against wildfires, our cellar was in the power company’s blackout zone, throwing the crew for a loop. But our outage was short, and proved harmless to the ongoing fermentations—it was one of the few sources of anxiety in an otherwise textbook season.
WINEMAKING
As our Pinot Noir harvest nears, we identify a few rows in the vineyard just for this wine. Picking for rosé is different from picking for still red wine—we want to capture the bright acidity of the berries. We give the juice a little time with the skins for the magical color, then ferment slowly over a few weeks in a very small tank, at very cold temperature, to lock in the fresh flavors. To retain the wine’s liveliness, we bottle it shortly after fermentation.
Alex Beloz, Winemaker