Aria Sparkling 2021

Appellation:

Shenandoah Valley

Winemaker Notes:

The grapes for our Aria Sparkling Rosé were the first we harvested for 2021 on August 16 at 21.2 Brix and pH of 3.1, all handpicked. They were gently whole cluster pressed in our bladder press with <1 hour skin contact, just long enough to get a light rosé color extracted and some characteristic skin flavors imparted. It was then fermented dry (no residual sugars) at cool winery room temperatures in the “Apollo” Flextank, providing exceptional convection fermentation to extract flavors from suspended solids by constantly stirring the juice.

Next the fermented wine was taken to a second winery specializing in the methode champenoise where it was immediately bottled and a secondary fermentation started with a new yeast + sugar added to create the sparkling wine bubbles. The bottles underwent “riddling”, a process which places them neck downward at an angle to accumulate spend yeast and other solids into the neck over a few rotations done by a “gyro” machine that automatically turns them over a week. Then they were disgorged – meaning the neck of the bottle and solids were frozen with dry ice and the cap popped, with gas in the wine pushing the solid out, then re-corked and caged.

It has some of the characteristic tasting notes of Primitivo, albeit toned down - plum, dried cherries, vanilla, apple. It will best be enjoyed chilled.

Vineyard Notes:

Aria is made entirely from the Primitivo grape. Planted on deep-growing and drought-tolerant special rootstock, our Estate Old Vine Primitivo grows on a steep hillside at a 2,000-foot altitude in Amador County’s Shenandoah Valley of the Sierra Foothills. It thrives in warm daytime breezes from the Central Valley and cool Sierra evenings, a 30-degree swing in temperature. Our Primitivo is dry farmed with sustainable growing practices. These are the oldest vines at La Mesa and grow just below the “Casa” on the upper hillside, head trained and planted 20 years ago.