2021 Helen Dusschee Rose
2021 Helen Dusschee Rose

Winemaking and Notes: Years ago we committed to NOT making rosé because we liked drinking it too much to get into the business of crafting it. That was largely in part because of our belief that rosé should be made from red grapes that have more inherent muscularity than Pinot Noir and being up here in the Northern Willamette Valley means that access to grapes such as Mourvedre, Grenache, Carignan or Tempranillo was incredibly limited to non-existent. Little did we know that lurking within Freedom Hill Vineyard was a block of Tempranillo that they had planted in 2012 at the behest of another winery that has since left the scene. This was picked while there were still berries that had not changed color on the cluster and accordingly this was picked at 20.3 brix (thus the 12.5% alcohol) and a TA of 7.2 which gives the wine its bright, lifted character. These gangly clusters were lightly whole-bunch pressed and racked a few times off the lees before permanently residing in a stainless steel tank for about six months before being bottled before finishing malolactic fermentation. This wine is bone-dry with plenty of acidity!
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AVA: Willamette Valley
LOCATION: Burnell Rd., Dallas, OR
ELEVATION: 500’
SOIL TYPE: Bellpine
YEAR PLANTED: 2012
CLONAL MATERIAL: 100% Tempranillo
VINIFICATION: 100% inoculated in stainless steel with 1 puncheon filled post-fermentation.
PICKING DATE: 09/17/21
TONS/ACRE: 8.45 (that is correct)
OWNERS: Helen & Dan Dusschee
PRODUCTION: 505 cases bottled