To say we’re excited would be the understatement of the year.
After five long years—first clearing the property in 2013, then selecting and planting our first two vineyard blocks of Pinot Noir Pommard and Dijon Clone 667, then adding posts and wires, then waiting for the vines to get established—we finally had our very first estate harvest in September 2017. And now, our first ever estate wine: 2017 Prelude Rosé of Pinot Noir.
This is the first of many wines to come that honors so many people we have lost along the way through this enormous transition from Dave’s career as a practicing corporate tax attorney and award-winning amateur winemaker to apprentice at Henke Winery to moving from Cincinnati to Newberg in 2012 and beyond. (And Sara’s unlikely transition to vineyard owner and money honey and loudest winery cheerleader ever.)
We raise a glass of Estate Rosé to all the beautiful souls who are remembered in our vineyard:
- Kelly Lynn Armstrong Palmer
- Morrison Bockenstette Gee
- Elizabeth “Eli” Kessler Mitchell
- Jill Ann Ellis
- Ian Patrick Kennington
- Samuel “Sammy” Aaron Harley
- Carol Holloran Day
- Troy Adam Day
- Michelle J. Vosmeier
- James Elliott Muse
- Lillian Jewel Batt
- Daniel George Miller
- Pamela FitzGerald Campbell
- Tammy Lynn Greenwald
- Nancy Lusk Jacobs
So what does it taste like?
2017 Prelude is a big, full-bodied Rosé (“Brosé”) and is named for Franz Liszt’s “Symphonic Poem No. 3: Les Preludes.” It features equal parts Pommard and 667 soaked on the skins for 24 hours, then pressed prior to fermentation; after fermentation, the wine was transferred to neutral French oak barrels for an additional malolactic ferment to smooth its acidity. Bottled on March 15, 2018, our panel of reviewers sniffed out fresh strawberry, “bada-bing” cherry, violet buds and sunshine (yes, really). On the palate, they noted a full structure and balanced acids with ripe strawberry, cherry, red raspberry, floral notes and a super-long finish.
Nine years. 2,500 miles. 96 cases available.
This journey has taken so much effort and attention blood, sweat and tears (LOTS of tears). There are far, far too many people to thank for their encouragement, love, support and belief in us over this near decade. This bottling is for you too. It will be featured at our upcoming pre-Memorial Day weekend and Memorial Day weekend open houses, and is available for purchase and shipping now.
Not the most flattering shot of Dave and Sara, but probably the most accurate one considering everything we’ve been through in the last 9 years (12 if you count when we first started making wine in 2006 in the basement of our home in Cincinnati) to finally produce this, our very first bottle of estate wine. (Also known as the only bottle of wine that will never be for sale.)
It’s our sincere hope that you can taste the love we’ve poured into it. Contact us today to reserve your bottles.
