The Central Coast of California is a wonderful place to grow the varieties that go into this Rosé: Grenache, Syrah, and Zinfandel. The cold picked grapes went straight to press and were pressed lightly as to not extract heavy tannin or color. The juice goes through a long cold ferment to preserve the aromatics, then stored in stainless steel tanks for up to 6 months before bottling.
The goal for making a delicious White Zinfandel is balancing the sweetness with enough acidity to make it fruity, but also refreshing and crisp at the finish. Early in the season, the vineyard crew hand-picks clusters that look like they won't make full sugar for our red Zinfandel. These clusters are loaded into the press and made as a white wine rather than a red wine. This gives the beautiful pink color with some red Zinfandel qualities.
The goal for the Raywood Sauvignon Blanc is to make a delicious, refreshing white wine that pairs with long, summer nights and refreshes the palate on warm summer days. A long, cool stain-less-steel fermentation retains the citrus fruit aromas and natural acidity. This is a dry-yet-fruity wine with a mouth that is crisp and juicy with a fresh finish.
Chardonnay grapes were harvested in September as they hit optimal ripeness while still maintaining great acidity. The wine was fermented and aged on the lees for added complexity and richness. A light baking spice component comes through from sur lei aging. The acid backbone brings forward notes of apple and melon.
Raywood Cabernet Sauvignon is a very approachable wine for any wine drinker. The wine starts with a beautiful maroon red when poured into the glass. Black fruits jump from the glass as you first approach the wine. These soften a bit leading way for red fruit and oak. The wine is rounded out with soft tannins that create a pleasant finish!
Merlot grapes are picked at optimal ripeness to showcase fruit and maintain the elegance of this Bordeaux varietal. The wine is set on French oak for 6 months to add complexity without stealing the elegance of the fruit. This Merlot is a beautiful example of what a California Merlot can be.