2021 Rolling Hills
Color/Clarity: Clear, darkish ruby
Aromas: Varied with temp and air. Earthy/brambly, dark fruit, baking spice and tobacco. Plum, cranberry, black currant, vanilla, cedar, cherry, vanilla, floral, cherry, dried herbs (sage) - floral and dried herbs in the empty glass
Palate: Dry, good acidity, tannins smooth yet present, plum, tobacco, chili pepper, peppercorn, raspberry, currant, plum, crushed stone
In Stock
Wine Specs
Vintage
2021
Varietal
Medium bodied red blend
Appellation
Frederick County
Aging
18 month in oak barrels, 47% new, 53% used
Bottling Date
Spring 2022
Alcohol %
12.5
Wine Profile
Vineyard Notes
2021 was a gratifying year. Bud break came early. We were fortunate not to have been impacted by the frost which affected some of the other East Coast vineyards. Bud break was followed by a warm (but not too warm) summer filled with plenty of sunshine and just a little bit of rain when you would want it (but not when you didn’t) throughout the year, followed by a typical September with plenty of warm (but not too warm) sunshine, cool evenings, and little rainfall. The grapes were very healthy and picking went smoothly. This led to good yields that were just the right size.
Production Notes
735 case produced.
Winemaker Notes
Once the fruit is picked, destemmed, and crushed, the berries, juice, pulp and seeds all go into a stainless-steel fermentation tank. Once the tanks are filled, we run off or "bleed" a portion of the juice, which can be anywhere from 15% to 40% of the total juice volume. This bleeding process allows for a greater skin to juice ratio in our primary wines, which helps to increase depth, richness, and concentration. This bleed juice is fermented separately. The remaining juice will rest cool for a few days to extract as much color and flavor as possible. The juice will then ferment at a warm 80-90 degrees with frequent "pump overs" to provide for even extraction. Once fermentation is complete, the wine is drained out of the tanks and put into oak barrels for malolactic fermentation and aging.