The Other Sebastopol
TASTING NOTES:
2021 Chenoweth Wines Grenache Rosé: “This 2021 Rosé of Grenache might be our best vintage yet! On the palate, this wine is bright and floral, with notes of white flowers and white tea. There is bright ruby grapefruit on the palate with jasmine and salinity, leading to a juicy acidity and creamy rich finish. Overall, this Rosé is smooth and clean from start to finish.” (AbV 14.1%, pH 3.28, TA 6.50 g/L)
2022 Chenoweth Wines Grenache Rosé: “This 2022 Rosé of Grenache might be our best vintage yet! On the palate, this wine is bright and floral, with notes of white flowers and white tea. There is bright strawberry on the palate with jasmine and salinity, leading to a juicy acidity and creamy rich finish. Overall, this Rosé is smooth and clean from start to finish.” (AbV 13.0%, pH 3.31, TA 5.80 g/L)
VARIETALS: 2021: 77% Grenache, 23% Pinot Noir. 2022: 100% Grenache.
BARRELS: 2021: 6 months in 100% neutral French oak. 2022: 4 months in 100% neutral French oak. Just enough to add a touch of creaminess without overstaying its welcome.
PAIRS WITH: N/A
THAT REMINDS ME OF: Sebastopol.
The town, specifically. Where did it get its name? The story goes that during the Crimean War of the 1850s, residents of a small Northern California settlement got into a bar fight so prolonged and so vicious that someone compared it to the Siege of Sevastopol, where British, French, and Ottoman forces battled Russia for nearly a year. The name stuck. A California farming town named after a war zone because its residents couldn’t stop throwing punches at the local tavern. You have to admire the honesty of it.
Today, Sebastopol is known for apple orchards, Pinot Noir, and a distinctly chill vibe that couldn’t be further from its namesake. The Chenoweth family has been farming its rolling hills since the mid-1800s — which means they may well have been there for the original bar fight.
