Overlooking the Salinas River Valley, the 50-acre Rosella’s Vineyard rests along the benchlands of the Santa Lucia Mountain Range. Named for owner Rosella Franscioni, the vineyard was planted in 1996 by Gary and Rosella Franscioni using the Pisoni clone — sourced from the legendary La Tâche vineyard in Burgundy’s Vosne-Romanée — and the Dijon 777 clone. The vineyard benefits from a maritime climate shaped by strong coastal winds blown in from Monterey Bay, with foggy mornings and sunny, breezy afternoons keeping the southeast-facing slopes much cooler than the Salinas Valley just east. The Arroyo Seco sandy loam soils produce wines of nuanced flavors, velvety texture, finesse and purity of fruit.

With nuanced flavors of plum, nutmeg, cedar and cherry, this Pinot Noir is appealing for its velvety texture, finesse and purity of fruit. Rosella’s Vineyard benefits from its hillside location and weather patterns of foggy mornings and long, sunny afternoons.