2004 ROUSSANNE “BIEN NACIDO HILLSIDE ESTATE”

This wine is 100% Roussanne grown on a west facing hillside at Bien Nacido Vineyard. This 5 acre block of Roussanne was planted exclusively for Qupé and exclusively to the Tablas Creek clone. It is a special varietal, grown in one of our best terroirs and makes out most important white wine.
 
The Santa Maria Valley is a cool growing area for Roussanne, it ripens late in the season with naturally high acidity. 2004 was a warm and whacky vintage but the Roussanne came in late enough that it wasn’t influence by and early September heat wave.

The grapes were harvested on October 15 (about 10 days earlier than normal) at 24.6° brix, 3.28 pH and 7.4 acidity. The acidity was slightly lower than normal but still nicely balanced. We whole cluster pressed, chilled overnight then went straight to barrel. Once used François Frères Burgundy barrels were used exclusively for fermentation and aging. The wine went through a lengthy malolactic fermentation in barrel as well. It was aged on the lees for 12 months, racked, fined, and cold stabilized, then returned to barrel for 4 more months. 550 cases were bottled, without filtration, in March 2006.

This is a rich, aromatic wine of great depth and complexity. The aroma shows a citrus-y orange peel character, along with mineral, flowers, and tropical fruit custard. Substantial in the mouth with mouthwatering freshness. Drink this over the next two years, then put some in the cellar and wait until it’s 10 years old, it will be worth it!