Martha Stoumen NV 'Post Flirtation' Rose No. 3, California

Vinification Notes: Whole cluster Zinfandel was loaded into the press and briefly tumbled for a hint of extraction before pressing. The pressed juice was then racked off its juice lees to ferment in stainless steel. Whole cluster Valdiguié was sealed in a tank for two days (carbonic maceration) before pressing to neutral vessels for continued fermentation, and then aged on fine lees in neutral oak barrique. Whole cluster Nero d’Avola was first foot-tread for an overnight maceration on skins before pressing, then fermented and aged on its fine lees in neutral vessels. Each lot was fermented to complete dryness (less than 1 g/L sugar) before blending and bottling. Unfined. Unfiltered. Sediment expected.

Vineyard Notes: Zinfandel and Valdiguié from Ricetti Vineyard, Redwood Valley, Mendocino County; head trained vines planted in 2009 and 1948, respectively; dry farmed (non-irrigated), certified organic vineyard; gravelly loam soils.

Nero d’Avola from Bricarelli Ranch, Ukiah, Mendocino County; head trained vines planted in 2008; dry farmed (non-irrigated) vineyard, farmed by us to organic principles (no pesticides, herbicides, or synthetic fertilizers); gravelly loam soils.

Martha's Notes: Our Post Flirtation wines have been described as “intergenerational crowd pleasers” and Post Flirtation Rosé NV no. 3 celebrates the culmination of intergenerational efforts behind the scenes, too. The vineyard sources for this non vintage blend are both dry farmed (non-irrigated) and employ head trained (goblet) vines. These agricultural practices are certainly not the short-cut to growing grapes commercially today (especially for rosé wines!), but the efforts produce distinctive wines full of concentration, particularly at lower alcohol, and allows the vineyard to develop slowly in order to preserve a longer lifespan. While we adore old, dry farmed vines—and will fight to keep them in the ground—it is equally important to us to seek out and support newer head trained, dry farmed plantings. Few people are still planting vineyards out this way, but these young, dry farmed vines will become the resilient, complex, and treasured old vines of future generations.