We are continuing the momentum of ZD’s Rosé with our release of 2023 Rosa Lee Pinot Noir Rosé. This wine is a blend of organically certified grapes from Napa’s Yountville AVA: 80% Pinot Noir, 11% Grenache, and 9% Flora (a lesser-known variety resulting from crossing Semillon and Gewürztraminer). Harvesting all the blocks on the same morning and immediately blending the fruit into a single wine gives time for the unique elements from each varietal and site to harmonize and become seamless.

After an extended growing season, the grapes were hand-picked on October 19 at 23.8˚ brix. Our focus continues to be around capturing freshness of youthful characteristics while upholding the ZD style displaying opulent and concentrated fruit flavors. Because we choose to harvest our intensively farmed Pinot Noir and Grenache blocks at full ripeness, making a wine that is a delicate-pink color is a challenge. Our solution is to hand-harvest in the cold morning followed immediately by the most gentle pressing.

After an extended and cold two-month fermentation in stainless steel barrels, the wine rested for only 47 additional days prior to bottling. In the glass, a beautiful light pink color leads to juicy aromas of fresh strawberry and candied raspberry, followed by subtle orange blossom. Crisp and lingering acidity leads into lively flavors of strawberry and cherry, followed by a long and refreshing finish driven by grapefruit which leaves you ready for more.