2008 1 MN Rosé Phillips Family Farms
This wine comes from unbelievably old vines in the Bechtoldt block in central Lodi. The vines are Black Malvasia (or Malvasia Nera, or Cinsault), on their own roots, planted in about 1850. It boggles the mind. The fruit is big—almost like duck eggs!—and purple black like big neapoliatan eggplants. Very beautiful, but not super-flavorful. So in our ignorance, we bled the crap out of the fruit—about 50% of the expected yield of wine. We fermented the somewhat crushed clusters whole, punching them down at least 3 times per day. The wine never seemed great. But meanwhile, we had saved the bleed juice and were fermenting it in a nice stainless steel barrel. It went dry withing days and was at first charming and then impressive. Our favorite wine of the harvest for weeks; a great maker of friends and slayer of enemies.
About 14 cases and 6 double-magnums were produced.