Region: Santa Ynez Valley, California

Varietal: 42% Mourvèdre, 35% Grenache Noir, 23% Cinsault

Tasting notes: On the nose fresh peaches, lime zest, and a handful freshly plucked berries are accompanied by aromas of crushed seashells, salinity, and delicate nuances of fresh herbs. On the palate, a happy combination of concentration, and layered complexity are supported by a plush pillowy texture. The end result is perfectly dry and surprisingly long to finish.

Producer: Railsback Frères began as a rosé project in 2014 by brothers Lyle and Eric Railsback, who call their rosé “Les Rascasses” (scorpion fish in French) as an homage to Lulu Peyraud. Lulu was the proprietress of Domaine Tempier in Bandol, maker of their favorite rosé in Provence. Lyle did National Sales for French importer Kermit Lynch for twelve years before leaving to focus on the Santa Ynez project. His brother Eric started Lieu Dit wines in Santa Barbara, inspired by wines of the Loire valley, and owns Verve Wine in NYC, Chicago and San Francisco.

Vineyard and Winemaking: In 2021, all three Mediterranean varieties Railsback harvests for rosé came in at what they consider optimal ripeness levels, and thanks to the addition of a new vineyard site, they now have even more Mourvédre in the cépage this year. Compared to the previous harvest of 2020 overall, 2021 was cooler-- and after quietly resting for six months in neutral Burgundy barrels, the Les Rascasses is lively, floral and bright. Having achieved a secondary (malolactic) fermentation without any difficulty this year, the texture and body offer a nice equilibrium to such a fresh vintage, and certainly make pairing even easier at the table.