2001 Roussanne

Wine Notes
This is the first harvest off the Luttgens Family Vineyards Block 4, and although it is the first, the fruit had wonderful character for such a young vineyard. Initially, this wine was fermented in stainless steel tanks before it was racked into fourteen year-old French oak barrels to finish fermenting. The barrels used for this wine were older, and thus fairly neutral in their ability to impart oak flavor. The desire was to give the wine only a slight nuance of oak, and not overwhelm the fruit character of the Roussanne. In the end, the alluring aroma of nectarines and herbal tea capture the senses and yield to the rich body and lingering finish. Although the easiest way to describe the character of Roussanne may be to say it’s like Viognier, yet when you taste it, you will understand that it is really different from Viognier. More subtle fruit aromas with a delicate herbal background make it much more approachable in many respects. Balanced acidity and low residual sugar make this the Chardonnay drinker’s alternative. Enjoy something different for a change and try a Roussanne.

Wine Pairing Suggestions
Asian inspired cuisine such as chicken salad with
rice vinegar and sesame dressing, spicy Mongolian beef, vegetable stir fry, crab or lobster.