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
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. 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.
Winemaker Robin Akhurst
Robin Akhurst’s road to Napa took him around the globe through eight consecutive and exhausting harvests, picking up an impressive list of mentors along the way. Robin came to Napa Valley in 2009, working with winemaker Thomas Rivers Brown of Outpost and Schrader Cellars. He joined Envy Cellars as winemaker in 2010 where he has made the highly regarded Envy and Carter wines. A native of Scotland, Robin brings vast international experience from the cellars of New Zealand (where he received a graduate degree in viticulture and enology from Lincoln University in Christchurch), France** and Australia including Two Hands Winery in the Barossa Valley and Domaine Leflaive in Burgundy.
Robin deftly leads the winemaking team, including Assistant Winemaker Tony Herrera, who has been with us for 11 years, and Chris Phelps with his new, honorable “Winemaker Emeritus” title. Not only do we have the continuity of our seasoned team, we have a fresh and talented new palate to help guide the Swanson wines to the next level. Marco Capelli continues to make the Swanson Vineyards dessert wines including Angelica, Crepescule and Tardif.
Vineyard Notes
Swanson Vineyards’ alluvial soils are part of geologic history dating back to the formation of Napa Valley where frequent flooding of the Napa River over the millennia laid down clay loam sediment. It is here in the heart of Oakville that our 100 acres produce wines of great elegance and finesse.
Sustainable Farming Practices
Certified as sustainably farmed by Fish Friendly Farming, Swanson Vineyards’ wines owe their wonderful aromas, flavors and complexities to the soil and vineyard management. The vines are nurtured by the use of spacing, and trellis systems all selected to parallel the capabilities of the soil. Our mission is to ensure that the potential of our vineyards is captured and reflected in our wines.