Winemaker Notes
A light, juicy red, with hints of strawberry and earth. Bright acidity and solid tannins. A blend from three Trousseau vineyards in the North Coast.
Professional Ratings
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Vinous
The 2023 Trousseau is bold and effusive from start to finish. Soaring floral and savory aromatics make a strong opening statement. Dried flowers, alpine herbs, mint, rose petal and wild cherry open with a bit of coaxing. A wine of complexity and dynamic energy, the Trousseau is terrific in 2023. This is such a gorgeous wine.
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Robert Parker's Wine Advocate
The 2023 Trousseau was fermented with whole clusters and matured for nine months in used French oak. It has an arresting perfume of strawberry, pomegranate, rooibos tea and Campari. The light-bodied palate is bursting with citrusy, floral flavors. It’s framed by soft, chalky tannins and bright acidity that lures you in for another juicy sip.
Indigenous to the Jura region of France, Trousseau is an intensely hued red wine grape that can make powerful wines with aging potential. Parentage analysis shows that it is related to Chenin Blanc, Sauvignon Blanc and Savagnin. Though no one is certain how or why, Trousseau made a long journey west across France and the Iberian Peninsula well over 200 years ago to take a second home under the alias, Bastardo, in Portugal. It is also permitted in the production of Port. Somm Secret—Trousseau also goes by the names, Maturana Tinta, Merenzao and Verdejo Negro.
Reaching up California's coastline and into its valleys north of San Francisco, the North Coast AVA includes six counties: Marin, Solano, Napa, Sonoma, Mendocino and Lake. While Napa and Sonoma enjoy most of the glory, the rest produce no shortage of quality wines in an intriguing and diverse range of styles.
Climbing up the state's rugged coastline, the chilly Marin County, just above the City and most of Sonoma County, as well as Mendocino County on the far north end of the North Coast successfully grow cool-climate varieties like Pinot Noir, Chardonnay and in some spots, Riesling. Inland Lake County, on the other hand, is considerably warmer, and Cabernet Sauvignon, Zinfandel and Sauvignon Blanc produce some impressive wines with affordable price tags.