ROSE WINE

  • SUB-TOPICS Of ROSE WINE
    1. What is Rose Wine?
    2. Method of Making Rose Wine
    3. Rose Wine Regions “Old World”
    4. Rose Wine Regions “New World”

1) WHAT Is a ROSE WINE?

ROSE WINES– Style of Wine Making That Incorporates Only Some of the Pigment of the Skins But Not Enough to Classify as Red Wine.  Rose Color Typically is Based On Less Time In Contact With the Skins.  Darker Color Rose Can Means Longer Maceration Times, Thick of Skins or Higher Levels of Alcohol In Finished Wine.

“Generally It’s More Challenging to Produce a Rose Than a White Wine.”

GENERAL ROSE INFORMATION

  • Rose(French)     Rosado(Portugal & Spain)     Rosato/ Chiaretto/ Vin Ruspo/ Kretzer/ Cerasuolo(Italia)
  • Rose Wines Are Produced From Almost Every Country In the World. Most Red Grape Work Well and Lend Distinguishing Characteristics to Rose Wines, But Most Countries Use Indigenous Grape or Grapes That Are Known or Flourish In the Region.
  • Highly Pigmented Grapes or Grape Skin/ Skin Contact Duration Give Color and Aren’t an Indication of Quality.
  • Modern Rose is Not a Regional Style, Today They Are Produced In Nearly Every Country of the Wine World.
  • Rose Wine Are More of a Infused Wine Than a Extracted Wine.
  • Rose Can Be Processed as a Still, Semi-Sparkling, or Sparkling Wine With a Wide Range of Sweetness Levels, Color Ranging From Pale Orange/ Pink/ Light Red/ Depending On Varietal and Winemaking Techniques.
  • Rose Can and Often is Done With Leftover Grape or Grapes That Didn’t Meet the First Cut.  But In Many Situations There Are Vineyards That Are Planted and Vitified Specifically For Rose Wine Producers.
  • The “Un-Offical” Release Date For Rose In Valentine Day February 14th. Each Year. Some Rose Are Released Earlier But as a General Rule They Are On the Market by This Date.
  • Roses Should Be Consumed In the First Year and Diffidently by the End of the Second Year After Release.  Be Weary of Year Year Old Roses On the Market.
  • Small Percentage of White Grape Are Sometimes Added For Acidity or Additional Flavors.
  • ~Etymology~ Rose Comes From the French Word For Pink “Rose”.
  • Dedicated Rose Program- The Act of Growing Grapes That Are Destined to Be Used In the Production of Rose Wine.  These Grape Are Usually Better Quality As Opposed to Secondary Grape or Lessor Quality Grape That the Wine Maker Decides at Last Minute to Use.

VITICULTURE- Picking Decisions In the Vineyards Are Very Important, Slightly Higher Acidity With Balanced Sugar Leads to Great Rose In the Winery.

VINICULTURE-

  • Low Temperature Fermentation and Reduced Oxygen Contact Leads to Great Rose In the Bottle.
  • Things That Effect a Rose Color-
    • Grape Variety,  Skin Thickness,  Time On Skins

HISTORY- Most of the First Wines Drunk From the Egyptians to Middle Ages Were Rose. Wine Producers Didn’t Have the Maceration and Pressing Technologies Used Today.  Fruitier Rose Wine Were Preferred to the Extracted Darker Wines Which Were Seen as Lessor Quality. Over Time as Wine Makers Gained a Better Understanding and Command Over Fermentation Control and Pressing Techniques They Were Able to Maximize Color Extraction.

  • Through Ancient History White Grapes Were Treated as Modern Day Reds, Macerated On the Grape Skins to Soak Up Color, Texture, Structure to Enable Ageibility.  Reds Grapes Were Treated as Modern Day Whites, With Little Skin Maceration.  Also All Wines Were Produced Similarly to Modern Day Natural Wines.
  • 1500’s- English Drank A Lot of Bordeaux Wines.  The Wine Called Claret Were Light Red/ Almost Pink.
  • ~International Rose Day~ (June 11th., 4th. Friday)
  • VARIETALS POSITIVELY EFFECTED By The ROSE PROCESS
    • Red= Bobal, Cabernet Frank, Cabernet Sauvignon, Cinsaut, Garnacha, Merlot, Mourvèdre, Nerello Mascalese, Pinot Noir, Sangiovese, Syrah, Tempranillo, Tibouren, Xinomavro, Zinfandel
    • **Rose Wines Are Traditionally Produced From the Regions Local Varieties.

2) METHODS Of MAKING ROSE WINE

DIRECT PRESS/ Vine Gris(France), Pressuage(Switzerland), Free Run Juice(America)

  • VINIFICATION- Made From the Immediate Pressing of Red Skin Grapes Without Any Maceration Time. Red Grapes Are Very Slightly Pressed/ Not Crushed, Juice Drained Without Pressure…Stems Skins, and Seeds Are Discarded…Pink Juice Ferments to Make Rose Wine.  Rose Wine Sits In Tanks to Clarify Before Fining and Bottling.

LIMITED MACERATION

  • VINIFICATION- Red Skinned Grapes Are Allowed to Remain In Contact With Juice For Limited Period of Time (1 Hours to 2 Days). Red Grapes Are Crushed and Destemmed Red Skins Macerate In Juice. All Juice is Siphoned Off the Skins (Skins Are Discarded). Pink Juice Ferments to Make Rose Wine.  Rose Wine Sits In Tanks to Clarify Before Fining and Bottling.
  • Vin d’Nuit- Wine of the Night, Wine Allowed One Night of Skin Contact.

BLEEDING/ Saignee(France), Saasso(Italy)

  • VINIFICATION- Removing Juice at Early Stage of the Maceration. This Juice is Used For Rose Wine. The Remaining Juice In the Must Concentration is Intensified and Becomes More Tannic and Structured.
  • Doble Pasta(Spain)– Technique For Producing Full Body Wine by Bleeding Off Extra Juice In Order to Increase the Ratio of Grape Skin to Juice of Remaining Wine. Doble Pasta is a Method to Produce Extremely Full Body Wines and as a Byproduct There is a Bleeding Off of Wine Which is Enjoyed as Rose.
    • Spanish Regions– Alicante, Jumilla, Utiel-Requena, and Yecia

BLENDING– Mixing Red Wine With White Wine to Achieve Desired Color.

  • Blending For Rose Production is Uncommon, Discouraged, and Considered Inferior.
  • Although Blending is Generally Discourage In the Wine World, Champagne is Made by Blending Red Wines With White Wines.
  • VITICULTURE- CHALLENGES–  Rose Are Less Stable, Have Less Oxygen Protection as a Result Have a Shorter Life Span. Rose’s Are Produced to Be Consumed Young and Are Traditionally Consumed as a Seasonal Wine Best Enjoyed In the Spring and Summer Following Last Years Harvest. Roses Are Best Served at a Temperature of 50°, by Serving at a Lower Temperature Tends to Close Off the Aromatics That Are Present In Rose Wines.
  • VINICULTURE- PRACTICES– *Generally– Roses Are Fermented In Stainless Steel, and Not Aged.
  • ADJUSTMENTS IN CELLAR THAT ENHANCE ROSE
    • Temperature Control   |   Stem Usage
    • Yeast   |   Pressing Techniques
    • Malolactic Conversion   |   Clarification
    • Oxidation   |   Barrel Aging

ADDITIONAL INFORMATION

  • Dedicated Rose Program/Purpose Pressed Rose- A Grape Grower Who Grows Grapes Specially For the Production of Rose. (As Opposed to Making Rose From Extra Grape That the Producer Doesn’t Know What to Do With.)
  • The Color of the Rose Can Drop Out During Fermentation.
  • You Can Bleach Out the Color of the Rose With the Addition of Sulfur.
  • Some Larger Rose Producers Keep the Finished Rose Wine In Large Stainless Steel Tanks and Only Bottle the Rose On Demand Throughout the Year.
  • WINE & PHILOSOPHY? “Are Some Grapes Destined to Become Rose Wines or Are Most Grapes Used For Rose Harvest “Seconds” or Grapes of Lower Quality That Didn’t Ripen or Develop Well?”
    • “The Best Roses Are Grown With the Forethought In the Vineyard and Great Attention to Detail In the Winery With the Intention of the Grapes Being Grown to Be Destined For the Production of Rose.”
  • ROSE WINE EVALUATION
    • Sight:   CLARITY– Clear, Murky
      • COLOR– Peach, Pink, Salmon, Light-Orange
    • Aroma: Strawberry, Raspberry, Cantaloupe, Watermelon, Herbs, Cherry Blossom, Rose Pedals, Honey-Comb, Roasted Red Peppers, Orange, Strawberry
    • Palate: Sweet to Dry/ -Body, Raspberry, Strawberry, Pomegranate, Peach, Red Apple, Orange Pith
    • Structure: Medi Acid, -Abv., Low-Medi Tannins
      • PAIRING… Meats…Grilled Seafood, Salmon
      • PAIRING…“Vegetables”…Caprese Salad   |   CHEESE… Brie
  • WINE & PHILOSOPHY? “Does the Color of the Rose Effect the Quality of the Wine?”
    • “A Rose Too Dark In Color Can Mean It Was Macerated For Too Long, Losing Its Elegance. The Different Shades of Rose Can Be From the Different Grapes Used or Different Rose Production Processes.”
  • WINE & PHILOSOPHY? “Does Rose Wine Age Well?”
    • “Due to the Lack of Skin Contact Rose Does Not Age Well.  While Most Posses Increased Acidity Which Helps the Aging Process, Rose After a Couple of Year Lose Their Freshness.”

3) ROSE WINE REGIONS OF OLD WORLD

Rose Wine Regions of “Old World”

  • VITICULTURAL DISCLAIMER~ “Rose is a Style of Wine That Can Be Produced From Any Red Grape In Any Region of the “Old World”.  These Rose Listed Below Are a Few of the Regions/ AOC./ DOC.’s That Produce Some of the Best Rose But They Are Also Produced Under Others as Well as IGP./ IGT. Demarcations.”
  • **Refer to “OLD WORLD/ Locations” For Additional Information On These Roses.

    France

BANDOL AOC.     @Provence/ Bandol

  • ROUGE= Mourvèdre(+50%), Carignan, Cinsaut, Grenache, Syrah
  • GEOGRAPHY- France, Provence(South-East), In Cotes de Provence AOC.
    • West of Toulon(15 km.), DEPARTMENT-Var
    • COMMUNES-Bandol, Le Beausset, La Cadiere-d’Azur, Le Castellet, Evenos, Ollioules, Saint Cyr-Sur-Mer, Sanary
  • TOPOGRAPHY- “Rolling, Hilly, Terraced”, On~Coast/ Mediterranean~Sea~
    • Surrounding Hills Form an Amphitheater Which Provides Micro-Climate.
  • SOILS- “Metamorphic”, “Sedimentary”, Limestone, Clay, Silicon
  • VITICULTURE- 1,550 ha.
    • Estate/ Producers- Begude, Bunan, Galantin, Gros Nore, Lafran-Veyrolles(Nat.Pro.), Romassan(Domaines Ott), Pibarnon, Tempier, Terrebrune
  • VINICULTURE- Still, Rose, All Wine Must Be a Blend Containing +50% or 2nd. Grape.
    • Vines Must Be +8 Years of Age For Non Rose Wines.
  • CULTURE– ASSOCIATIONS~ ~Vins de Bandol~

TAVEL AOC.     @Tavel

  • ROUGE= Grenache(-60%), Cinsaut(-15%), Calitor, Mourvèdre, Syrah
  • GEOGRAPHY- France, REGION-Southern Rhone Valley, BORDERS-Lirac AOC.(North)
  • TOPOGRAPHY- “Flat/ Rolling”
  • SOILS- “Metamorphic”, Gravel “Sedimentary”, Alluvial
    • Chalk, Fluvial Sand, Clay, Limestone, Slate, Galets
  • CLIMATE- “Mediterranean” With “Continental” Influences, +WIND/~Le Minstral~
  • VITICULTURE- 930ha.
  • VINICULTURE- Rose🌹, Min.+11% ABV., Macerated 10- 30 Hours.
    • Estate/ Producers- Aqueria, Lafond Roc-Epine, Le Mas Duclaux, Maby, Mordoree

SANCERRE AOC.      @Sancerre

  • ROUGE= Pinot Noir
  • GEOGRAPHY- France, REGION-Loire Valley, Central Vineyards, DEPARTMENT-Cher
    • Sub-Zones- Bue, Crezancy, Chavignol, Menetreol-Sous-Sancerre, Vinon
    • BORDERS-Menetou-Salon AOC.(South-West), Pouilly-Fume AOC.(South-East), Coteaux du Gienois AOC.(North-East)
  • TOPOGRAPHY- “Rolling/ Hilly”, On~Loire~River~(West)
  • SOILS- “Metamorphic”, “Sedimentary”, Silex(Flint)
    • Oxfordian Era Formation- Caillottes(Small Limestone Pieces, Flint), Griottes(      )
    • Kimmeridgian Era Formaton- Terres Blanches(Clay)
      • High In Clay and Limestone.(Exogyra Virgula Fossels)
  • VITICULTURE- 2,900 ha. Planted
    • Estate/ Producers- Carrou, Chevreau, Daniel Crochet, Etienne & Sebastien Riffault(Nat.Pro.), Gerard Fiou, Girault, Henri Bourgeois, Hubert Brochard, J. de Villebois, Lucien Crochet, Martin, Poussie, Saget La Perriere, Vacheron, Vincent Pinard
    • Vineyards- Chene Marchand, Croix du Roy, Grand Chemarin
  • VINICULTURE- Rose

ROSE Des RICEYS AOC.     @Riceys

  • ROUGE= Pinot Noir
  • GEOGRAPHY- France, REGION-Champagne(South), DEPARTMENT-Aube
    • COMMUNES-Riceys, Les Riceys, Avirey-Lingey
  • TOPOGRAPHY- “Flat/ Rolling”
  • SOILS- “Sedimentary”
  • VITICULTURE- 30 ha. Planted
    • Estate/ Producer- Alexandre Bonnet, Mosel Pere et Fils, Serge et Olivier
    • Vineyards- La Foret(4.2ha.), La Geande(1.5ha.)
  • VINICULTURE- Whole Cluster Pressed, Semi-Carbonic Maceration.
    • Fermented In Stainless Steel Tanks For Early Consumption or Oak Barrels For Aging.

ANJOU ROSE AOC.     @Anjou

  • ROUGE= Cabernet Franc, Cabernet Sauvignon, Gamay, Grolleau Gris, Grolleau Noir, Malbec, Pineau d’Aunis
  • GEOGRAPHY- France, REGION-Loire Valley(West-Central)
    • Anjou-Saumur(North–Central), South of Angers-City(1 km.),
    • COMMUNES-(150)-
  • TOPOGRAPHY- “Flat/ Rolling/ Hilly”, On~Loire~River~(South)
  • VITICULTURE-  ? ha Planted
  • VINICULTURE- Primeur(Youth/ Young), Nouveau(New)
    • Estate/ Producers- Barton & Guestier, Bougrier, Champteloup, Remy Pannier, Tigne

CABERNET D’ANJOU AOC.     @Anjou

  • ROUGE= Cabernet Sauvignon, Cabernet Franc
  • GEOGRAPHY- France, REGION-Loire Valley, Anjou(Greater), DEPARTMENT-Indre-et-Loire
    • COMMUNES-(150)-
  • VITICULTURE-
    • Estate/ Producers- Des Baumard, Champteloup, Le Cheteau, Langlois, Mauny, Montigilet, Plancheliere, Plessis-Duval, Trottieres

NEUCHATEL      @Neuchatel

  • ROUGE= Gamaret, Garanoir, Pinot Noir
  • GEOGRAPHY- Suisse Romande, CANTON-Neuchatel, BORDERS-France(Near)
    • Sub-Zones- La Beroche, The Coast, Entre-Deux-Lacs
  • TOPOGRAPHY- “Rolling/ Hilly”, On~Neuchatel/ Morat/ Bienne~Lake~
  • SOILS- “Metamorphic”, “Sedimentary”, Calcareous
  • VITICULTURE- 605 ha.
    • Estate/ Producers- C Auvernier, Grillette Cressier, Montmollin, La Rochette
  • VINICULTURE- Oeil de Perdrix– Rose Wine Produced From Pinot Noir.
    • Pressurage Direct– Immediately Pressed and Juice is Collected.

RIOJA DO.     @Rioja

  • TINTO= Tempranillo, Garnacha,  Graciano, , Mazuelo,  AKA=Carignan, Maturana Tina
    • –International– Cabernet Sauvignon, Syrah
  • GEOGRAPHY– Spain(North-Central), Rioja, LATITUDE: 42.3° ‘N‘
    • BORDERS-Navarra(North-East),  PROVINCES– Logrono, Haro
  • TOPOGRAPHY– “Rolling/ Hilly/ Mountainous/ Valley(Ebro)”
    • SLOPES/ Pyrenees Mountains(North), Sierra de Cantabria Mountains.(North-West), +Alt. 600mt.
    • ON PLATEAU– On~Oja~River~Tributary~Ebro~River~

PELOPONNESE     @Greece

  • RED= Agiorgitiko
  • GEOGRAPHY- Greece

Italy

RIVIERA Del GARDA BRESCIANA DOC.      @Salo

  • ROSSO= Barbera, Gropello, Marzemino, Sangiovese
  • GEOGRAFIA- Italia, REGION-Lombardia, PROVINCIA-Brescia
    • Sub-DOC.- Valtenesi DOC., Classico
  • TOPOGRAFIA– “Rolling”, On~Lake~Garda~(West)
  • VITICULTURA- ? ha. Planted
  • VINICULTURA- Rosato(Chiaretto),  Spumante
    • Estate/ Produttore- Bulgarini Gerumi, CA dei Frati, Comincioli, Selva Capuzza
  • VALTENESI DOC.     @Salo
    • ROSSO= Groppello Gentile, Gropello Mocasina
    • GEOGRAFIA- Italia, REGION-Lombardia, PROVINCIA-Brescia, @Hw.#A4
      • (DOC. Laps)Rivera del Guarda Bresciano DOC.
    • TOPOGRAFIA- “Flat/ Rolling”, On~Lake~Garda~(South-West)
    • VITICULTURA- 600 ha. Planted
    • VINICULTURE- Rosso,  Rosato(Chiaretto)
      • Estate/ Produttore- Costaripa, Pasini, San Giovanni, Pratello Torrazzo, Selva Capuzza, Le Sincetta

BARDOLINO DOC.     @Bardolino

  • ROSSO= Corvina(+35%-80%), Rondinella(+10%-40%), Molinara(-15%), Barbara, Corvinove, Negrara, Rossignola, Sangiovese
    • –Internationale– Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot
  • GEOGRAFIA- Italia, REGION-Veneto, PROVINCIA-Verona, West of Verona-City(7 km.)
    • BORDERS-Valpolicella DOC.(East), (Laps)Custoza DOC.(South)
    • COMMUNES-Affi, Bardolino, Bussolengo, Caprino, Cavaion, Costermano, Garda, Lazise, Pastrengo, Rivoli, Sona, Sommacampagna, Torri del Benaco, Valeggio
  • TOPOGRAFIA- “Rolling/ Hilly”, On~Lake~Guarda~(South-East), On~Adige~River~
  • TERRE- “Metamorphic”, “Sedimentary”, Glacial, Morainic
  • CLIMA- “Continental”, LAKE EFFECT/ Lake Garda
  • VITICULTURA- 2,800 ha. Planted
    • Estate/ Produttore– Albino Piona, Bigagnoli, Bolla, Cantina di Custoza, Cavalchina, Corte Viola, Fasoli Gino, Le Fraghe, Giovanna Tantini, Guerrieri Rizzardi, Monte Del Fra, Poggio delle Grazie, Sartori, Villa Cordivig, Villabella
  • VINICULTURA- Rosato(Chiaretto/ Rose-Extended Skin Contact),  Classico Chiaretto
  • SUB-ZONES Of BARDOLINO
    • MONTEBALDO– Geography- Bardolino(North)
    • BARDOLINO CLASSICO/ La ROCCA– Geography- Bardolino(West), On~Lake~Garda~
    • SOMMACAMPAGNA– Geography- Bardolino(South–East)

CERASUOLO D’ABRUZZO DOC.     @Abruzzo

  • ROSSO= Montepulciano(+85%)
  • GEOGRAFIA- Italia, REGION-Abruzzo(Greater), “Non-Contiguous(?)”
    • PROVINCIA-Chieti, L’Aquila, Pescara, Teramo
  • TOPOGRAFIA- “Rolling/ Hilly”, SLOPES/ Abruzzi Appennines Mountains, +Alt.?
  • CLIMA- “Mediterranean”
  • VITICULTURA-  850 ha. Planted
  • VINICULTURE- Rosato(Cerasuolo/ Dry, Deeply Colored)
    • Estate/ Producers– De Fermo, Torre dei Beati, Valentini
  • STORIA- 1968 @Abruzzo– DOC. Officially Established.

CASTEL Del MONTE BOMBINO NERO DOCG.     @Andria

  • ROSSO= Bombino Nero, +Aglianico, Montepulciano, Nero di Troia
  • GEOGRAFIA- Italia, REGION-Puglia(Interior), PROVINCIA-Bari, Foggia
  • TOPOGRAFIA- “Flat/ Rolling/ Hilly”,  ON PLATEAU/ Murge, +Alt. 200mt.- 45omt.
  • TERRE- “Metamorphic”, “Sedimentary”, Dolomitic Limestone
  • CLIMA- “Mediterranean”
  • VITICULTURA- 16 ha. Planted
  • VINICULTURA- Rosato
    • Estate/ Produttore-  Conte Spagnoletti Zeuli, Giancarlo Ceci, Ognissole Cefalicchio, Rivera, Rupicolo, Santa Lucia, Tormaresca Trentangeli, Torrevento
  • CULTURA- UNESCO. WORLD HERITAGE SIGHT~ ~Castel del Monte~

CIRO DOC.     @Ciro

  • ROSSO= Gaglioppo, +Magliocco, Marsigliano
  • GEOGRAFIA- Italia, REGION-Calabria(East-Central), PROVINCIA-Crotone
    • BORDERS-Melissa AVA.(South)
  • TOPOGRAFIA- “Rolling”, SLOPES/ La Sila Plateau(East), On~Coast/ Ionian~Sea~
  • CLIMA- “Continental” With “Mediterranean” Influences 
  • VITICULUTRA- ? ha. Planted
  • VINICULTURA- Rosato
    • Estate/ Produttore- A’vita, Scala, Ippolito, Librandi

4) ROSE WINE REGIONS OF OLD WORLD

  • VITICULTURAL DISCLAIMER– “Rose is a Style of Wine That Can Be Produced From Any Red Grape In Any Region of the “Old World”.  These Rose Listed Below Are a Few of the Regions/ AOC./ DOC.’s That Produce Some of the Best Rose But They Are Also Produced Under Others as Well as IGP./ IGT. Demarcations.”
  • **Refer to “NEW WORLD/ Locations” For Additional Information On Rose.

RUSSIAN RIVER VALLEY AVA.     @Sabastapol

  • RED= Alicante Bouschet, Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, Pinot Noir, St. Laurent,  Syrah, Sangiovese, Tannat, Zinfandel
  • GEOGRAPHY- California, REGION-Sonoma(Central), COUNTY-Sonoma
    • In Sonoma Coast AVA., @Hw.#116, #126, LATITUDE: 38° ‘N‘
    • Sub-Zones– Green Valley AVA.,  4 Areas, Referred to as “Neighborhood”
      • Middle Reach, Laguna Ridge, Santa Rosa Plain, Sabast0pol Hills, Windsor Hills
    • “Golden Triangle of Pinot Noir”– Laguna Rd. Between River & Guerneville Rd.
  • TOPOGRAPHY- “Flat/ Rolling/ Hilly/ Valley(Russian River)”
    • On~Pacific~Ocean~(Near/ 5 mi.), On~Russian~River~
  • CLIMATE- “Maritime”, Coastal, Morning/ Evening Fog, Warm Days
    • +Diurnal Shifts(+30°- 40°)
  • SOILS- “Metamorphic”, “Sedimentary”, Goldridge Sandy Loam
    • Soil Series-  –Arbuckle Series–     –Haire Series–     –Hugo Series–     –Huichica Series–
    • –Goldridge Series–     –Steinbeck Series–     –Yolo Series–
  • VITICULTURE- 169,000 ac./ 16,000 ac. Planted

WILLAMETTE VALLEY*AVA.   @Portland

  • RED= Pinot Noir 60%, Dolcetto, Gamay, Lagrein, Trousseau
  • GEOGRAPHY- Oregon(North-Central), COUNTIES-Washington, Yamhill, Polk
    • South-West of Portland(20mi.),  LATITUDE: 44.9° ‘N’
    • (120 Miles Long & 45 Miles Wide)
    • Valley Starts Near Portland Stretches South to Eugene.
    • AVA. Boundary is Defined by the Drainage Basin of the Willamette River Valley.
  • TOPOGRAPHY- “Flat/ Rolling/ Hilly/ Terrace/ Valley(Willamette)”
    • SLOPES/ Coast Mountain Range(West), Cascade Mountain Range(East)
      • +Alt. ? ft.- 1,292ft., Vines to 1,000ft.,  On~Willamette~River~Pacific~Ocean~
    • GEOLOGICAL UNITS: 4
  • SOILS- “Metamorphic”, “Volcanic”, “Sedimentary”, Sub-Soil/ Mt. Hood
    • Soils Series- –Bellpine Series–     –Cornelius Series–     –Dupe Series–      –Goodin Series–
    • –Hazelair Series–     –Jory Series–      –Kinton Series–     –Laurelwood Series–
    • –Nekia Series–      –Saum Series–     –Stelwer Series–     –Wellsdale Series–
    • –Woodburn Series–     –Willakenzie Series–      –Willamette Series–
  • WILLAMETTE VALLEY PARENT MATERIALS
    • Volcanic Material 41%                      Marine Sediment Material 30%
    • Loess/ Volcanic Material 20%        Missoula Flood Sediments 9%
  • CLIMATE- “Maritime”, With “Mediterranean” Influence
    • RAIN SHADOW EFFECT/ Coast Mountain Range,  +Alt. 3,500ft.
    • *GROWING- Degree-Days- 1,072, 71° Average., +RAIN-14 in.
  • VITICULTURE- 3,438,000 ac./ 21,353 ac. Planted
    • CHALLENGES– Willamette Valley is Cooler Than the Columbia Gorge to East and Southern Oregon and Can’t Ripen the Diversity of the Other Regions.
      • Majority of Vineyards Are Planted On Sides of the Valley, the Floor is Too Fertile.
      • +Vintage Variation
    • Fruit Ripeness and Quality Will Vary More From West to East Where the Oceanic Climate and Altitude From Hills Effects Vineyards, Rather Than North to South Where the Weather Changes Only Slightly.

The 70’s/ 80’s ROSE REVIVAL

  • 1970 @Portugal– Mateus- In Oval Shaped Bottle, Marketed as the Original Portuguese Rose, Produced From Baga Grapes.
  • 1970 @Portugal– Lancers- In Earth-Ware Bottle, Made From Native Portuguese Grapes.
  • 1980’s @California– Sutter Home- Bob Trinchero’s White Zinfandel Produced a Sweet Rose and it Was a 15 Year Hit.

BLANC WINE

  • A Red Grape/ Wine With Zero Skin Contact/ Free Run Juice.
  • –Examples– Blanc de Noir

“Is the Wine a Grenache Blanc or a Garnacha Blanca?”

**Refer to “BIBLIOGRAPHY/ Sources” For Details On Scholarly Works Referenced.