Ashanta Wines 2023 'Amanecer' Tempranillo Rose, Covelo

Vineyard Notes: Three and half hours north of Sonoma and nestled along the westside of the Mendocino National forest, resides the organic-certified Claus Vineyard, raised on talmadge gravelly loam soils of the valley floor. This vineyard is the only producing vineyard in the Covelo AVA, in upper Mendocino’s Round Valley.

Sitting at 1,400 ft. elevation, Round Valley is the only Mendocino Valley AVA with a continental climate rather than a maritime climate. The valley regularly sees 45+ degree diurnal shifts in the summer, with highs nearing triple digits and lows in the mid 50s. To get there, you wind along a steep, narrow one lane roads that contour the middle fork of the Eel River, a 196 mile long river that opens into the Pacific Ocean south of Eureka. After driving through the steep, mountainous terrain, you’re dropped into a fault block valley of 25,000 acres of land. Filled with alluvium soils from 2.5 million years ago, the lower foothills have chaparral vegetation, grassland, scattered Oaks and this unique vineyard.

Winemaking Notes: This Rose de Tempranillo was handpicked by Will and Chenoa and an incredible crew during the chilly dawn. The grapes were whole cluster direct pressed into stainless, where the wine aged for 9 months, racked twice.