2021 “Rosé for the Bay” Rosé of Pinot Noir

"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."

Peter Molnar, Co-Founder and Partner, Obsidian Wine Co.

TASTING NOTES

Our goal with this Pinot Noir Rosé is for it to evoke a perfect day by the Bay: fresh and clean as an ocean breeze, crisp with a touch of salinity that begs for an oyster, and just enough supple, sun-kissed fruitfulness to pleasantly while away a relaxing afternoon.

HISTORY
Rosé for the Bay is vinified in support of the San Francisco Baykeeper. Peter Molnar, Co-Founder of Obsidian Wine Co., is a member of Baykeeper’s Board of Directors and a lifelong sailor and Bay swimmer. One hundred percent 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. Since our first vintage in 2013, we have given nearly $250,000 to SF Baykeeper from sales of this wine. With this 2021 vintage alone, we expect to raise over $65,000.

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 pick earlier 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