Railsback Freres Les Rascasses Rose 2021
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Winemaker Notes
The reason they began making wine together as Railsback Frères was to
produce a rosé - specifically one in Santa Ynez - and inspired by Lulu Peyraud
and the old style of rosé they produced at the legendary Domaine Tempier in Bandol. 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.
Other Vintages
2018-
Wilfred
Wong
Whether it’s playful and fun or savory and serious, most rosé today is not your grandmother’s White Zinfandel, though that category remains strong. Pink wine has recently become quite trendy, and this time around it’s commonly quite dry. Since the pigment in red wines comes from keeping fermenting juice in contact with the grape skins for an extended period, it follows that a pink wine can be made using just a brief period of skin contact—usually just a couple of days. The resulting color depends on grape variety and winemaking style, ranging from pale salmon to deep magenta.
Ranging from cool and foggy in the west to warm and dry in the east, the Santa Ynez Valley is a climatically diverse growing area. The most expansive AVA within the larger Santa Barbara County region, Santa Ynez is also home to a wide variety of soil types and geographical features. The appellation is further divided into four distinct sub-AVAs—Sta. Rita Hills, Ballard Canyon, Los Olivos District and Happy Canyon—each with its own defining characteristics.
A wide selection of grapes is planted here—more than sixty different varieties, and counting. Chardonnay and Pinot Noir dominate in the chilly west, while Zinfandel, Rhône blends, and Bordeaux blends rule the arid east. Syrah is successful at both ends of the valley, with a lean and peppery, Old-World sensibility closer to the coast and lush berry fruit further inland.