Why Negroamaro Rosato? We’re tired of rosé all day; what we want is rosé without cliché. A wine that has the refreshment of our favorite salty whites, the thoughtful texture of a light red, and the bitterness of an aperitivo. Why make yourself an Aperol Spritz when you can have all of that—and more—from organically farmed fruit?
Vinification: All grapes were lightly foot-tread and macerated on skins and stems for about 5 days. After five days of cold maceration, the grapes were pressed into fiberglass, where fermentation began naturally without temperature control. Primary and secondary fermentation occurred with wild yeasts and native bacteria from the vineyard, and the wine was allowed to rest on all lees for ten months. It was bottled without fining or filtration, with 20 parts winemaking sulfur added prior to bottling.
Notes: Negroamaro is such an intriguing and wonderful grape. Grown abundantly in its native Puglia (the heel of the boot) and practically nowhere else, we are always stoked to work with fruit from the little patch of it planted and organically farmed at Fox Hill Vineyard in Mendocino. Loosely translating to “dark bitter,” the grapes are actually not especially dark, but there is a pleasant bitterness that comes through on the palate (think cherry pits or plum skins), making it the perfect choice for a super complex rosato. Always a good candidate for outdoor day drinking—just be sure to save a glass or two for when the food comes off the grill, because that’s when this wine really starts to shine!
Artwork: Flamboyancey - Sarah LaPierre
