2020 TrobairisesPicpoul

In the heat of summer our desire to quell the heat and refresh becomes instinctual; we reach for those bright high acid wines that bring the instant relief of a plunge into a Sierra snowmelt swimming hole. The 2020 Trobairises is our saving grace when even rosé just won't do  and we're ready to contemplate something slightly more serious. Picpoul is native to the south of France, where it is vinified in a light and carefree style. Not in our vineyard, though! A little RHV limestone goes a long way to elevate the natural backbone of brininess in this variety, and the Trobairises is a compelling, multi-layered sensory high five to the palate with great texture to boot. Salivary glands kick into overdrive in response to flavors of crisp green apple and ripe pineapple accented by the savory brightness of pennyroyal and fennel. The textural presence is perfect -- just enough to give the wine weight and body without making it heavy, a light coating of the mouth that resonates beeswax and oh what's that? Yep, salted caramel. Yacht wine even if your boat is a canoe. Or a couch.

With all that acid you'd think that we harvest the Picpoul at RHV early... turns out, this wine is always the last one in the barn at the end of the vintage. After all of the other grapes on RHV's 75 acres have been picked, we sit and wait for the Picpoul to FINALLY reach 20º Brix before Autumn rolls through and the vines pack it in for the winter. At this point we are typically exhausted from the long days of the harvest season and are ready for a vacation. Its a game we play with mother nature, as well as a test of our commitment and resolve, to hang in there and make this, one of our favorite wines, before we get to clean the press ONE. MORE. TIME. and celebrate the finish of vintage. Never mind the tired harvest grouches -- this wine is worth the wait!