62% Mourvdre, 18% Grenache, 8% Cinsault, 7% Carignan, 5% Counoise
The five components for the 2023 Druids Pink – Mourvedre, Grenache, Cinsault, Carignan, and Counoise – were grown and harvested with the intention of making this rose. Due to varying ripening curves, for the most part, these grapes were picked and fermented separately and then blended together for the final wine. The Mourvedre adds body and fruit complemented by intriguing herbal characteristics. Grenache adds some weight and texture along with ample fruit. Cinsault adds bright red fruits, Counoise adds acidity, and Carignan adds spiciness.
Even though these are all red grapes, the grapes were all picked at lower sugars and higher acidity than would have been the case for a red wine, and these vines were pruned and grown with ros production in mind. Following harvest, the grapes were gently whole-cluster pressed to minimize color extraction and maintain aromatics and acidity. After settling for 24 hours, the juice was racked to neutral barrels for fermentation. Both primary alcoholic and secondary malolactic fermentations were spontaneous (native) and were completed in barrels over a roughly 4-month period. The wines stayed on their primary lees until they were blended in a stainless steel tank for bottling when a small amount of SO2 was added. We retained a touch of CO2 to add a touch of effervescence to enhance the lively personality of this wine. The Druids Pink is bottled unfined and unfiltered.
