Railsback Frères - Counoise - Alisos Canyon, Santa Ynez, CA - 2022

Notes from the Winery/Importer

Sourced from a steep ridge in the Alisos Canyon of Santa Ynez with an incredibly diverse terroir that's loaded with limestone and fossils. Planted to original budwood from Château de Beaucastel, we got advice from other producer friends of ours in Châteauneuf-du-Pape and Bandol who insisted that "Counoise is the grape of the future" for their Mediterranean climates. We fermented in whole bunches and were super happy with the results. The floral aromatics of Counoise were a perfect marriage with the mineral-rich terroir of Alisos Canyon. After aging it for ten months in neutral French oak barriques, we bottled it without fining or filtration. This juicy red has the joy and freshness we love in Cru Beaujolais, the structure and chewiness we look for in old-styled producers of the Southern Rhône, and the tightrope elegance that brought us to Santa Ynez.

Notes on the Producer

Railsback Frères began as a rosé project in 2015 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 this 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. “Eric approached me when he found access to some Mourvèdre, Carignan and Cinsault in Santa Ynez,” says Lyle Railsback, “and we produced our first rosé with the ‘original recipe’ of Bandol: direct-to-press, vinified and aged in old wood, and with malolactic completed. Two years later we partnered with Presqu’ile Winery in Santa Maria, where we now make the wines using only wild, native yeast fermentation. In addition to our dry rosé, we also now make small-lots of other Southern French grape varieties, including Vermentino, Carbonic Carignan (à la Maxime Magnon in Corbières), an inky red Mourvèdre, and Syrah from Bien Nacido that’s made entirely without the use of SO2.”

Grapes & Style

Counoise

Counoise is a southern Rhône red grape, best known as one of the permitted varieties in Châteauneuf-du-Pape but increasingly interesting on its own. It tends to bring freshness, spice, and aromatic lift rather than density or sheer power.

In the vineyard, Counoise can be useful in warm regions because it holds acidity and adds a lighter, more fragrant register to blends. As a varietal wine, it often works best when the winemaking preserves its brightness rather than trying to force too much extraction.

In the glass, Counoise often shows red cherry, raspberry, cranberry, pepper, herbs, and a lightly savory, earthy edge. It’s usually medium-bodied or lighter, with lively acidity and gentle tannin, making it one of the more drinkable and quietly charming Rhône grapes.