untitled

Oakley 2000 Vin Gris wine label
CLINE CELLARS
Technical Notes
2000 Oakley Vin Gris
California
HARVEST DATE: September 29th - October 4th
BRIX AT HARVEST: 24.9°
TOTAL ACIDITY: 0.67g/100ml
FINAL PH: 3.55
RESIDUAL SUGAR: 0.052g/L
ALCOHOL: 13.5%
CASES PRODUCED: 1255
SUGGESTED RETAIL:$8.50

VINTAGE NOTES

The celebration of harvest began August 23rd for Cline Cellars and concluded on November 3rd. The 2000 growing season could be described as one of the most schizophrenic on record. Harvest 2000 ended up being longer than expected. After experiencing record high temperatures in June, followed by below normal temperatures in late August back up to high temperatures in September and finally to cool and unexpected minor storms in October, kept our growers, vineyard managers and production team on their toes. Yields were average to slightly above average producing grapes of high quailty with forward fruit and beautiful colors.

VINEYARDS

Much in the same way as the great rosé wines of Southern France's Tavel and Lirac, Cline's Oakley Vin Gris has been made from select lots of non-irrigated Mourvèdre, Carignane and Cinsault. These unique varietals, grown in the sandy soil of Oakley, California, 9where the Sacramento and San Joaquin Rivers meet), have centuries played an important role in the great rosé wines of the Mediterranean area. The unique Oakley terrior has proved ideal for growing these grapes rich in the fresh fruit and mineral character essential to a great dry rosé. A singular cooling band of air that flows from the Sacramento and San Joaquin Rivers helps moderate the otherwise hot climate in Oakley and maintains a superb balance of acids often lacking in fruit from other warm areas. Careful vineyard management and strict dry-farming allows us to restrict yields to a meager 2 to 3 tons per acre, further enhancing concentration of flavors in the fruit.

FERMENTATION AND AGING

2000 has turned out to be an ideal vintage for our Vin Gris program. The wine was produced using the saigné method, bleeding juice for the rose from tanks of Mourvèdre that had been allowed to macerate on their skins from 1 to 2 days. Juice was inoculated with Cotes-de-Blancs yeast and fermented at cool temperatures in stainless steel and 132 gallon puncheons. Racked from its lees midway through primary fermentation, the 2000 Vin Gris finished to dryness slowly, preserving freshness and intense fruit. Minimal handling prior to bottling helps maintain the liveliness and fresh fruit we seek in our Oakley Vin Gris. Small quantities of Carignane and Cinsault were blended in for added complexity.

WINEMAKER'S COMMENTS

With the 2000 vintage of the Vin Gris we decided to drop the "Cotes d'" and just call it Oakley - same great style of wine with a simpler name to remember. Vin Gris has been styled after the Rhône Valley's greatest dry roses. Exhibiting intense aromas of cherries, strawberries, earth and fresh herbes de provence, this rosé is intended for early consumption but the consumer will also be rewarded with 1 to 2 years of aging. I am particularly pleased with the 2000 vintage, as it shows astounding freshness, fine acidity and an appealing succulence of fruit...all in a perfectly dry format. I like to enjoy it as an elegant aperitif and with all types of light fare including cheeses, fruits and poultry. The 2000 Oakley Vin Gris is the ideal wine for the warm days of summer, when rich reds are too cumbersome for the heat.
Back to Cline Cellars' Wine List