Wildflower Winery - 'Rosy Cheeks' - Rosé of Grenache - SLO County, CA - 2023

Satellite's Hot Take

Yummy - rosé built for a full life! It's gone through malolactic fermentation giving it a more complete quality and something so much more food friendly. This wine is killer with a grapefruit vanilla surprise.

Notes from the Winery/Importer

Alamo Creek Ranch - Organically Farmed - San Luis Obispo County AVA - 13.5% - Harvested 10/12/2023 at 22 Brix -Only 35 cases produced Picked October 12th from Alamo Creek Ranch in SLO County, we foot treaded this fruit and left it on the skins for 24 hours. The goal in doing this was to pull more color and flavor in this thoughtful rosé. We placed 70% in neutral oak barrel and 30% in stainless steel to age for 5 months. The nose is a lovely mix of strawberry, tart cherry juice, watermelon, red pepper, and vanilla and these transfer over to the palate with the addition of pink grapefruit. Pair with curry, a Cuban sandwich, grilled pork or soft goat cheese. Wildly Drinkable!

Notes on the Producer

We have created beautiful wines which highlight the terroir of the vineyards in Ventura Santa Barbara, and San Luis Obispo Counties. Starting with quality grapes, we pick them for optimal acidity and sugar so the wine does not need additions such as: water, acid, tannin. We use a minimalist winemaking approach in the cellar so the natural yeast present on the grape skins perform the fermentation to preserve the influence of the terroir. We present dry wines with no new oak so you taste the unique and individual flavors of each grape varietal. This low intervention approach leaves our wine naturally vibrant, fruit-forward, and wildly drinkable.

Born and raised in California, Natalie’s love for wine began as she was surrounded by bold reds from the Central Coast, then the various wines grown and made in Temecula/San Diego County in California. When she and her husband, William, moved to Sicily, her world and palate expanded as she lived on Mount Etna and tasted the mineral, volcanic wines from the region. While touring and wine tasting throughout Europe, Natalie’s passion for tasting different varieties grew. On a whim, she took the Wine & Spirit Education Trust (WSET) Level 1 certification exam. From there, she began to research taking the leap from tasting to making as she dug deeper into the science behind wine through the UC Davis’ winemaking program.

Upon moving to Ventura County in January 2020, Natalie sourced grapes grown locally in Santa Barbara and San Luis Obispo counties, and started making wine during harvest of 2020 out of a passion for adventure and exploration. She intends to create fresh and unpretentious wine that does not need to be saved for a special occasion, as the style of young and crisp wines was something she knew she would miss from Sicily. She completed the UC Davis Winemaking Certificate Program and is WSET Level 2 certified.

Wine is a beautiful accompaniment to any celebration, and Natalie believes that every day should be celebrated.