Winemaker Notes
Planted in the late 1970s these rare and gnarly looking, massive trunked, and nearly extinct vines produce unique and intriguing fruit each year. Once harvested, the whole clusters were crushed by foot and left to macerate for three days then pressed and naturally fermented in stainless steel and neutral puncheons. Once fermentation completed, the wine was racked off its heavy lees and transferred to neutral puncheons for a short élevage.
The 2023 Trousseau Gris is a fresh and elegant wine showing off summer melon, lemon peel, nasturtium, nectarine, and Arbor Baimudan tea.
There are hundreds of white grape varieties grown throughout the world. Some are indigenous specialties capable of producing excellent single varietal wines. Each has its own distinct viticultural characteristics, as well as aroma and flavor profiles.
A standout region for its decidedly Californian take on Burgundian varieties, the Russian River Valley is named for the eponymous river that flows through it. While there are warm pockets of the AVA, it is mostly a cool-climate growing region thanks to breezes and fog from the nearby Pacific Ocean.
Chardonnay and Pinot Noir reign supreme in Russian River, with the best examples demonstrating a unique combination of richness and restraint. The cool weather makes Russian River an ideal AVA for sparkling wine production, utilizing the aforementioned varieties. Zinfandel also performs exceptionally well here. Within the Russian River Valley lie the smaller appellations of Chalk Hill and Green Valley. The former, farther from the ocean, is relatively warm, with a focus on red and white Bordeaux varieties. The latter is the coolest, foggiest parcel of the Russian River Valley and is responsible for outstanding Pinot Noir and Chardonnay.