The Santa Lucia Highlands is proving to have the right combination of climate, soil and exposure to produce world class Pinot Noir. As a partner in the Garys' vineyard, Gary Franscioni is certainly a grower at the forefront of building this reputation. His home vineyard, named for his wife Rosella, is also in the cooler north end of the appellation. Gary is the perfect kind of grower with whom to tackle the challenges of Pinot Noir; he is meticulous and ruthless in his quest to grow great Pinot. We greatly appreciate his efforts.
The east-southeast facing benchland property consists of gravelly loam with a 200 foot elevation difference from back to front. Rosella's Vineyard is planted to several clones. Our 2005 'Rosella's Vineyard' Pinot Noir is produced from the 'Pisoni' clone, as well as clones 777 and 828.
This year's Rosella's Vineyard Pinot Noir is unique for two reasons. First, we were very fortunate to trial an extra 1/2 acre of fruit, specifically of a "new" clone at Rosella's: #828. The wine from that parcel, while not a stand-alone bottling, proved to have a lot of flavor and color. So, it both increased the total amount of wine we were able to produce and complimented our customary style. Second, our major lot of the 'Pisoni' clone required about 6 months to complete fermentation. This is something of a nerve-wracking experience with which we have learned to "roll" and manage carefully to completion. The results of such slow, extended fermentations are often captivating aromatics, and a delicate glycerin texture; this year's version succeeds greatly in both of those areas. Perhaps an apt comparison would be to the preparation of exceptional cuisine. Intense and delicious flavors start with immaculate ingredients, which are prepared with inspired care and cooked slowly. There are no shortcuts, and there is invariably some risk and expense. However, the results are often sublime and illuminating. Cheers!
The 2005 'Rosella's Vineyard' Pinot Noir presents intense aromas of spiced cherries and freshly cut strawberries, accompanied by notes of cola and vanillin. The wine is very gracious and supple at the front and the edges, tapering gradually to a long finish with a modest amount of fine-grained tannins. While extremely elegant and enjoyable in its youth, the wine will also reward short to medium term cellaring.