2020 Ojai Vineyards Rosé (Ventura and Santa Ynez Valley) California

This 2020 bottling shows enticing aromas of orange blossom, rainier cherries, fresh bread and persimmons. The palate opens with a citrusy crack and flows into a creamy, substantial mid-palate that’s energized by prickly minerality. We stir the lees (yeast deposits)quite a bit to get this wine through malolactic fermentation in time for the market, which weaves in some bread savoriness. The finish is resonant, but still you find the wine demands a refill quickly!

It’s fragrant, refreshing and textural – juts a joy to drink! The bottling is comprised mostly of Syrah, plus a hearty chunk of Carignane, then the same smudge of dry Riesling that we’ve incorporated for years (for extra twang and aromatic drive) plus a touch of Grenache. 54% Syrah, 35% Carignane, 4% Grenache, 7% Riesling.

Our approach with Rosé is uncompromising: only fruit grown to be Rosé is used (never any juice bleed off from riper red wines) and it’s whole-cluster pressed into neutral French Oak barrels just like all our other white wines. This ensures a fresh and food-friendly feel, but with the textural richness and complexity that barrel aging provides.  587 cases produced.