Winemaker Notes
Light rose in color, Raeburn Russian River Valley Rosé begins with light floral and raspberry aromas. The palate is marked with lush flavors of strawberry and guava followed with a luxurious yet light finish.
The Russian River Valley is cooled by daily fog off the Pacific Ocean located a few miles to the west. Nearly every evening, fog flows up the Russian River channel and east through the Petaluma Gap producing diurnal temperature swings ranging from 35° to 40°. Nature’s air conditioning allows the grapes for this Rosé to ripen slowly while retaining its bright, natural acidity.
Pinot Noir, Grenache and other red varietals for this Rosé were carefully selected throughout Russian River Valley’s premier vineyards. Once the grapes arrived at the winery, our winemaker crafted the grapes in the Provençal style: direct to press with minimal skin contact to provide a light salmon hue. Stabilization (juice resting on the lees) followed fermentation in 100% stainless steel to preserve the wine’s delicate red fruit flavors.
Professional Ratings
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Wilfred Wong of Wine.com
COMMENTARY: Rosé wines come a range of styles. The 2018 Raeburn Rosé is one that is delicate, fine, and easy. TASTING NOTES: This wine is beautiful and elegant. Its aromas and flavors of raspberries, strawberries, and a bit of earth. Pair it with a grilled chicken salad with accents of sliced strawberries and raspberries. (Tasted: March 1, 2019, San Francisco, CA)
Whether it’s playful and fun or savory and serious, most rosé today is not your grandmother’s White Zinfandel, though that category remains strong. Pink wine has recently become quite trendy, and this time around it’s commonly quite dry. Since the pigment in red wines comes from keeping fermenting juice in contact with the grape skins for an extended period, it follows that a pink wine can be made using just a brief period of skin contact—usually just a couple of days. The resulting color depends on grape variety and winemaking style, ranging from pale salmon to deep magenta.
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.