2007 Santa Barbara County Roussanne
The 2007 Roussanne, Santa Barbara County delivers plenty of bright fruit flavor, acid, and a pleasing, full mouth feel. Like the previous vintages, it has a focused floral-mineral aroma and flavors of lime, honey, and stone. Stolpman Vineyard fruit (61%) adds high acidity, mineral and citrus. The warmer Westerly Vineyard fruit (39%) adds honey, spice, and has a softer texture. As a young wine, it is classic Roussanne and should age for years. It was fermented in stainless steel before moving to neutral French barrels for aging. (203 cases)
• Stolpman Vineyard harvested on October 24, 22.0 Brix sugar, 3.6 pH
• Westerly Vineyard harvested on October 13, 23.9 Brix sugar, 4.0 pH
• Cold settled before barreling and inoculation
• Assmanhausen and Prise de Mousse yeasts used
• Fermented in a stainless steel tank and then transferred with its lees to neutral French oak barrels for aging.
• Wine remained on lees until finishing
• Did not complete ML fermentation
• Lightly fined with non-fat milk and filtered
• Bottled May 8, 2008
• Released June 1, 2008
Food Pairing: This wine is great with oysters on the half-shell. It’s great with sushi. Typically lighter fare, non-meat appetizers or entrees, egg-rolls, fish or chicken. This wine pairs well with seafood: lobster, mahi-mahi, or shellfish. Scallops and Ahi are favorites. I prefer it paired with fruitful sauces and light spicing. I don’t recommend it with highly spiced or powerfully flavored foods. Works well with chowder and corn.