About the Wine
The trio of grapes in this wine—Grenache Noir, Mourvèdre, and Syrah—comes from Lasseter Vineyards, one of our Sonoma Valley vineyard gems. These certified organic grapes were harvested at lower Brix and higher acidity levels, resulting in a wine that is extremely crisp and full flavored, yet low in alcohol. The early picking for La Rose permits the remaining fruit on the vine to develop and mature further before being harvested and made into our Côte de Lune Rouge Rhône blend.

Modeled after the famous Côtes du Rhône wines of Southern France, our rosé is produced using the saigneé method, whereby the fresh juice is bled off the skins of the red varieties soon after fermentation begins. The resulting wine is lightly rose colored, packed with fruit flavors, and drinkable at a young age. Stainless steel tank fermentation with no barrel aging or malolactic fermentation allows the wine’s true varietal characteristics to shine through. We are proud to note that the 2009 Arrowood La Rose carries a certification from the California Certified Organic Farmers (CCOF).

Tasting Notes
This vintage is one of the best Arrowood La Rose offerings to date. Everything comes together perfectly. The color is a beautiful bright shade of pink. Aromas and flavors evoke fresh strawberry and ever so slight hints of berry, cassis, and pluot. The wine is soft, generous, and refreshing. While a very small amount of residual sugar is present, its pinpoint acidity gives the wine a dry finish.

Enjoy Arrowood La Rose in its youth. It pairs well with a wide array of foods and occasions. We release this wine in celebration of Valentine’s Day each year.

Varietal Composition:

44% Grenache Noir, 34% Mourvèdre, 22% Syrah

Appellation:

Sonoma County

Viticultural Area/Vineyard:

Sonoma Valley - Lasseter Vineyards

Harvest Dates:

September 18, 2009

Average Sugar at Harvest:

21.0° Brix

Average pH (Harvest/Bottling):

3.23 / 3.56

Average Total Acid (Harvest/Bottling):

.75g per 100ml / .63g per 100ml

Fermentation/Aging:

Stainless steel fermentation; no malolactic fermentation; no barrel aging

Alcohol by Volume:

12.5% by Volume

Residual Sugar:

.76g per 100ml

Release Date:

February 2010

Total Production:

225 cases

View winemaker's notes for another vintage of this wine:

2008 2007 2006 2005 2004 2003 2002 2001