1996 Rousanne

Cline Cellars
1996 Rousanne
Los Carneros

Technical Notes
1996 Rousanne
Los Carneros
HARVEST DATE: 20 September
BRIX AT HARVEST: 24.4
TOTAL ACIDITY: 0.70g/100ml
FINAL pH: 3.41
RESIDUAL SUGAR: 0.025g/100ml
ALCOHOL: 14.0%

VINTAGES NOTES
1996 vintage was characterized by a very warm summer tempered, in the Los Carneros district, by strong winds and a maritime cooling influence. Late rains in mid-May reduced yields, concentrating varietal flavor in the remaining fruit. Harvest at the Carneros ranch came relatively early, producing a tiny crop of powerfully flavored fruit with impressive acid structure. In particular, our 1996 whites will be know for their forward fruit and intense, authoritative flavors.

VINEYARDS
Rousanne is known in the northern Rhone Valley of France as a fickle varietal prone to powdery mildew and variable yields but one capable of producing the region's finest, most age-worthy whites. We have planted two tiny vineyards of this exciting grape in loam soils on the flats in the famed Los Carneros district. Shallow nutrient-poor soils and the ferocious winds that characterize this region seem to mimic those of some of the northern Rhone's finest vineyards; meanwhile, our fruit displays a brighter, more forward personality typical of the Los Carneros AVA. The wind and soils force our Rousanne vines to struggle, limiting vegetative growth and reducing yields. This unique interplay of terrior and micro-climate has proved particularly suitable to Rousanne, producing a tiny crop of small, golden, intensely-flavored berries. Cool evening air and the moderate use of drip irrigation help to maintain balance in the vines and to preserve vital acidity and freshness in the finished wines.

FERMENTATION AND AGING
In the winery, we have found that our Rousanne responds particularly well to partial barrel fermentation. In 1996, we opted to 100% whole-cluster press, limiting extraction of phenolics. A pre-fermentation oxidization further reduced astringent compounds in the wine. First press juice was cold-settled overnight to separate solids. After racking the juice off its sediment, we inoculated with selected yeast strains from the Rhone Valley of France and cold-fermented it in stainless steel. As the fermenting must reached approximately 15 to 16 brix we transferred it to a complement of new 500 litre American oak Puncheons and used 225 litre French oak barrels to finish slowly to dryness. Malolactic fermentation in this wine was blocked to accentuate its fresh acidity. Barrel-aged on its yeast lees for 5 months, our Rousanne was stirred bi-weekly initially and monthly thereafter. Given an extra month of barrel time in 60% new oak to further fill out this wine's lush palate and substantial structure, our finished Rousanne was bottled in early May after a light filtration

WINEMAKER'S COMMENTS
For our inaugural vintage of this intriguing varietal, only 417 cases of Rousanne were produced. We are particularly excited with how well the grape has responded to the unique terrior and micro-climate at our winery and, likewise, to our very gentle winemaking techniques. Particular attention was paid to minimal handling of the wine to avoid any oxidization. Truly a hand-crafted product, our 1996 Los Carneros Rousanne showcase the powerful aromas and flavors of the varietal--honey suckle, orange essence and hazelnut. Framed by a slight hint of toasty oak and additional richness from sur lie aging, this wine is the perfect accompaniment for richer seafood dishes such as Dungeness Crab--a San Francisco specialty-- and oven roasted Provencal vegetables.

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Copyright © 1997 Cline Cellars Inc., All Rights Reserved