2016 Rosé Caché

The sun-drenched landscape of southern France is the inspiration for our Rosé Caché, where the site and varieties have married seamlessly for millennia.  In many appellations of Provence, Languedoc, and Roussillon, Grenache sits as the reigning queen, flanked by a noble, yet somewhat unknown, supporting cast: Counoise, Cinsault, and Mourvèdre.  Often referred to as the “southern Rhone varieties” together create those savory, spicy gems that are the stuff of summer indulgence.

Many of you know that since 2003 we have used a blend of these grape varieties from select Columbia Valley vineyards to craft our southern Rhone red blend, Bésoleil.  But handled differently in the cellar, these same grapes create the fresh, lightly colored, tension-filled Rosé Caché. These grapes all share one important characteristic ideal for rose production, they all have very large berries, often two to three times as large as our Cabernet Sauvignon grapes.  They are so laden with juice that we can “steal” some of it from the just-crushed grapes when very little color has seeped from the skins.  This technique (the French call it bleeding) helps concentrate the juice for Bésoleil and provides ideal material with which we vinify our rosé. This lightly colored juice is then fermented in stainless steel tanks, with a focus on keeping it lively, vigorous and intense.

In 2016, Rosé Caché is almost entirely Grenache (with 10% Counoise) sourced from two vineyard sites, the Upland Vineyard, with its heat-loving river rock littered throughout the vineyard, and the Olsen Vineyard, a picture-perfect example of meticulous vineyard management.

The aromas of 2016 Rosé Caché are a mix of fresh cherry, flinty, mineral notes, with watermelon and floral nuance. The palate offers up light red fruits including rainier cherry, melon, and fresh plum flavors. The vitality is complemented by a silky texture and savory notes of fresh-cut herbs. Enjoy Rosé Caché during warmer months of 2017.