Winemaker Notes
Uber high toned, as if Good Humor Popsicle Co. made a deal with the devil to make their strawberry shortcake fresh with a citrus zing. Floral breezy, and delicious. Upfront quenching acidity, showing traces of rhubarb, straight into a super savory, dry finish. A nice hit of minerality underneath a light citrus spray floating on top. In the glass, the wine appears a perfect pale pink but more sassy and tart than Barbie pink.
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.
Accounting for only ten percent of the greater Santa Ynez AVA, Ballard Canyon’s north-south orientation provides an ideal pattern of sunshine and martime fog for producing excellent Syrah. While Syrah is planted to half of the total AVA acreage, an additional third is dedicated to other Rhône varieties, red and white.