In 2004 we planted a small block of Merlot; these grapes were used to make a dry rosé.

The grapes are picked at around 19° Brix and .9 TA.  Handpicked cold and crushed directly from the field,  8 hours of skin contact infuses a deep salmon color to the juice.  Going directly into stainless steel tank and inoculated with Champagne yeast, then fermented at low temperatures until completely dry, it is racked once at the end of fermentation.  The uninsulated tanks are left outside on cold nights to aid in clarification and cold stabilization.  When the wine is clear, it is racked again and bottled unfiltered in the early spring.

Following the 2009 harvest we decided that this site is better suited to Chardonnay and we have since re-grafted the block to Chardonnay