The 2007 vintage of our Rosé of Syrah marks the fifth consecutive vintage winemaker Bruce McGuire has made of this dry wine. A very nice milestone indeed because Santa Barbara Winery has been making rosé wines since the 1960’s utilizing grapes such as Cabernet Sauvignon, Zinfandel and Pinot Noir.
These wines were made in various years as we plumbed the public’s taste for rosé as a wine catagory and for particular styles that pleased not only our palate but enough folks to make this a commercially viable production. When Bruce first identified a section of Hilltop Ranch Vineyard as being particularly well suited to making rosé, we were becoming aware of a re-energized intrest in these wines as wine and food journalists seemed to be devoting much more time to the appreciation of rosé wines and their versatility in the world of food pairings.
To make a complete and mouth filling wine from Syrah is not an easy task. When Bruce harvests this aforementioned block of Syrah, the fruit is hand sorted and destemmed. The juice and skins are then given a “cold soak” overnight followed by a light pressing the next day before a cool fermentation in stainless steel.
This process preserves the electric color and the bright fruit flavors and aromas nicely balanced by firm acidity courtesy of the cold climate Sta. Rita Hills. A terrific wine to enjoy with all but the heartiest of foods, a simple lunch of cheese, cured meats, olives and bread is a favorite. Enjoy through the winter of 2009.
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