Vin de Porche is our rendition of a classic French dry rosé, in this case a blend of night-harvested Syrah (76%) and Grenache (24%) grapes grown in our Suscol Springs Ranch in southeastern Napa Valley. Produced intermittently since 1996 – this is our first vintage since 2002 – Vin de Porche is best described by its name – i.e., it’s meant to be enjoyed well-chilled on your porch with casual foods, especially grilled, spicy fare.
Vineyards
The Syrah and Grenache grapes for our 2009 Vin de Porche came from young vines grown in our Suscol Springs Ranch in southeastern Napa Valley, which is planted to classic red Bordeaux and Rhône Valley varieties. The fruit was harvested on October 6th, at the tail end of a long, cool growing season that concentrated varietal flavors while maintaining healthy levels of acidity.
Vintage 2009
The 2009 growing season was remarkably even and steady, featuring consistently cool-to-mild temperatures that produced stress-free vines, prolonged grape hang times, and fully ripened fruit with ideal sugar-to-acid ratios. As a result, our 2009 Vin de Porche offers unusually rich, full flavors while retaining the freshness and acidity essential to successful rosé wines.
Winemaking
After the grapes were hand-harvested in early morning at cool temperatures, they were brought to the winery and lightly pressed as whole clusters. Winemaker Julianne Laks closely observed the process to determine when the juice had absorbed sufficient color from the skins. The juice was then cold-settled for 36 hours before being inoculated with a cultured yeast strain designed to produce a slow, steady fermentation, which lasted four weeks. Once fermentation completed, 50% of the wine was racked to stainless steel barrels, while the balance was transferred to neutral oak barrels to enrich texture and add a subtle vanilla tone to the wine’s fruit-forward aromas. The two grapes in this blend marry perfectly: Grenache is relatively low in color and acidity, yet fruity and full bodied, so it softens the Syrah grape’s higher acidity, enhances fruitiness and adds body and some floral notes. After blending the two lots in March, we immediately bottled Vin de Porche to fully capture its wonderful freshness and fruitiness. Only 500 cases were produced.
Tasting Notes
A lovely cherry color and beautifully fresh and fragrant strawberry, cherry and vanilla aromas introduce our 2009 Vin de Porche. On the surprisingly full, rich palate, the wine’s fleshy red fruit flavors, with a hint of citrus, display excellent intensity and length, leading to a crisp, refreshing, mineral-tinged finish. A favorite of our in-house chefs, especially as a pairing with lighter spring and summer fare, Vin de Porche beautifully accompanies a wide range of foods, including grilled salmon and chicken, pasta salads, Vietnamese spring rolls, pork and beef satay, and pollo asado tacos and quesadillas. Enjoy it over the next 12-18 months.
