Swanson Vineyards
2012 Rosato
Rosé
California: Napa Valley
Mission Briefing
Rosé colored glasses
Summer is here, and if there is a better summertime Cali Rosé for under $25, we haven’t ever met it!
Today marks our 5th successive vintage showcasing this wine. We love it so much that we’ll keep going back for the newest vintage for as long as they keep making it.
Today’s 2012 Swanson Vineyards Rosato is a delicious, juicy, refreshing rosé of Sangiovese. This vintage shows a little more fruit than recent vintages, without losing its crisp and refreshing edge.
Stock up, dear Operative… on the fun and tasty goodness that is today’s very special wine.
P.S. Did we mention that Oprah loves this wine?!
Tasting Profile
| Look: | With a hue that reminds us of fresh Coho salmon, this wine is deeply colored with very fine clear edges. |
|---|---|
| Smell: | Hibiscus flower, geranium leaf, plum and strawberry jam, watermelon hard candy, and subtle pomegranate. |
| Taste: | Soft, elegant, and refreshing, with flavors of ripe Alpine strawberry, white peach, red currant, Rainier cherry, dried red rose petals, and sandalwood. |
| Finish: | Very long, with fruit and flower petals dancing on your palette in even proportion. |
| Pairing: | Try this wine with grilled salmon or a Thai pumpkin curry. |
What the Winery Says
2012 SWANSON VINEYARDS NAPA VALLEY
ROSATO (ROSÉ OF SANGIOVESE)
- VINTAGE
- 2012 was an almost picture-perfect growing season in Napa Valley for all varietals. Generous rainfall in March and even temperatures in April and May were ideal for budbreak and bloom in our Sangiovese block at Antica. Long, warm days and cool, often foggy nights throughout the season led to a late-September harvest for this variety. Yield was slightly above normal, and the fruit exhibited bright aromatics and acid balance. The grapes were gently crushed immediately upon arrival at the winery. The final blend was 100% Sangiovese.
- VINEYARD
- All of the fruit for the 2012 Napa Valley Rosato was grown in one small block at the Antica Vineyard in the Atlas Peak Appellation where rocky, alluvial soils keep the vines small and the fruit concentrated in flavor and aroma.
- WINEMAKER NOTES
- This is a very bold, flavorful rosé wine, brimming with aromas of fresh strawberry, cherry, and orange blossom. In the mouth the wine is juicy and well-structured, with generous notes of fresh cherry, Meyer lemon, and a touch of watermelon. Try this Rosato with spicy paella, barbecued shrimp, or simply on its own as a refreshing aperitif.
- COMPOSITION
- 100% Sangiovese
BRIX AT HARVEST :21.4° average
- ALCOHOL
- 13.0%
- BARREL REGIME
- Gently-crushed, followed by 48 hours skin contact Cold-fermented to dryness in stainless steel Weekly lees stirring through December
- BOTTLING DATE
- February 14, 2013
- CASE PRODUCTION
- 492 cases (12x750ml)
About the Winery
We are thrilled to announce that our vineyards are now certified as sustainably farmed, both by Fish Friendly Farming and Napa Green Certified Land!
Swanson Vineyards owns 100 acres along the Oakville Cross Road in Oakville, located next to Opus One and Silver Oak Cellars. Swanson soils are part of geological history dating back to the formation of Napa Valley. Tectonic-plate movements and volcanic activity pushed up mountains to the east and west of the Napa River, while simultaneously displacing the ocean bottom downward in the southern part of the valley.
The soils on the valley floor are clay loam, alluvial in nature, laid down as sediment from the frequent flooding over the millenia. It is here that our 100 acres produce wines of great elegance and finesse.
It is to these soils that Swanson Vineyards’ wines owe their wonderful aromas, flavors and complexities. The vines are further nurtured by the use of a variety of rootstock, clones, spacing and trellis systems, all selected to enhance the capabilities of the soil. The winemaker’s challenge is to ensure that all the potential of our vineyards is captured and reflected in our wines.