2019 Raeburn Rose Russian River Valley (NY Item)

2019 Raeburn Rose Russian River Valley

2019 Raeburn Rose Russian River Valley 2019 was a fantastic year in the Russian River Valley with a mild winter, until record rainfall occurred and flooded the vineyards during vine dormancy. This had no effect to the vines, other than improving the water table. A cool spring granted for a long bloom followed by a moderately hot summer. There was a nice heat spike in September which improved ripeness and no rain in October allowing the grapes to mature a few additional weeks leading to a later-than-normal harvest. Grapes of this vintage were harvested before the 2019 fires in Sonoma County and showcase depth, balanced flavors and outstanding color.

Raeburn Chardonnay shows an array of complex fruit tones ranging from pear and Gravenstein apple to nectarine. ‹e fruit is beautifully complemented with toasted oak, vanilla and hints of Crème Brûlée with a balanced and elegant finish.

Our Chardonnay is hand-picked at dawn from several Russian River Valley vineyards to maintain ideal brix levels of 24° to 24.5°. Once at the winery, we whole cluster press the fruit and gently rack into French and Hungarian oak barrels for fermentation. A quarter of the juice is held aside to ferment and age in stainless steel and the two lots are blended at the time of botting. This yields an elegant layering of toasty, vanilla overtones with bright fruit flavors and a graceful, sophisticated finish.

Raeburn

The name Raeburn, traces its origins to Olde English, and translates to “the stream where one drinks.”

The Russian River Valley is a unique sliver of the world that produces Chardonnay of class and distinction. At Raeburn we see a synergistic relationship between the land that yields beautiful Chardonnay fruit and its caretakers. We see our role as stewards of a distinct land that rewards us with high quality fruit. The Russian River Valley’s watershed provides a unique habitat for flora and fauna, including Coho salmon, Steelhead trout, herons, egrets and deer.

These creatures thrive under the same temperate, marine-influenced conditions that create exceptionally flavorful Chardonnay grapes. The flora and fauna have woven themselves into the same fabric of terroir that we look to in producing outstanding Chardonnay. Our goal is to protect and enable both vineyards and their inhabitants to thrive.