As I sit writing this cellar note it is foggy and 45 degrees Fahrenheit. The forecast is for a chilly day with no sunshine until this afternoon. And it’s the first day of winter. This white wine will be a delicious way to welcome winter this evening. We received this wine as a tasting sample.
Regina Bustamante and Scott MacFiggen, proprietors of Sosie Wines, take their winemaking inspiration from France where they have traveled extensively. They source Cabernet Franc from Napa’s famed Stagecoach Vineyard. Among the varieties sourced from special vineyards throughout Sonoma are: Pinot Noir, Syrah, Grenache, Grenache Blanc, Roussanne, Marsanne and Bordeaux varieties.
Winemaking employs wild yeasts for fermentations and techniques such as whole cluster fermentation. Oak aging is used to guide the wines’ aging and to insure they age gracefully, but not for oak’s flavors specifically. Sparkling wines are made using the traditional method as in Champagne. Winemaking is hands on and in small lots.
2020 was a devastating year because of fires in Napa and Sonoma. I was sorry to read that because of the fires there will be no 2020 vintage for Sosie Wines. It’s a devastating blow, but Regina and Scott are looking ahead, not back. Sosie Wines’ current release wines include varietal wines, red and white blends and sparkling wines.
The wine we’re tasting today is a delicious example of the attention to detail in the wine cellar that is a characteristic of Sosie Wines.
2019 Sosie Rossi Ranch White Blend, Sonoma Valley, Sonoma County — light golden in the glass with generous aromas of ripe pears and yellow peaches. Pear flavors follow along with oat hay, gravelly minerality and dusty earth. The wine is a bit viscous in the glass with nice weight in the mouth and a very long, clean finish. 14.6% abv. $35. Only 4 barrels made.
There is much to love about this wine beyond how delicious is. The grapes were hand-harvested from the Rossi Ranch vineyard, which is certified organic. Roussanne (52%), Grenache Blanc (27%), Marsanne (21%) were foot-trodden and left on the skins for 24 yours before being pressed directly to barrels and co-fermented using native yeasts. The wine did not go through malolactic fermentation and was aged for 10 months in neutral oak.
In addition to winemaking details, the back label also includes the wine’s ingredients: hand-harvested grapes, tartaric acid, yeast nutrients, SO2. Nothing else added. Vegan friendly.
An honest wine that is delicious.
Thanks to Sosie Wines for sharing this delightful wine with us and to Calhoun & Company Communications for sending this wine our way.
Cheers!
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