Roselito

Grape variety: Tinto Fino: 70%. Albillo: 30%.

Winemaking: Direct pressing with whole bunches mixing red and white grapes. 21 days fermentation in stainless steel tanks.

Bottling: on 19th December 2018.

Production 2018: 45.000 bottles.

2018. “At last, a year with seasons!”

In 2018 the changing of seasons in Soria ́s vineyards has been observed and appreciated. Winter was mainly cold with plenty of rains, a lot of snow in January, February and March and even on 10 and 11 April.

The vegetation awoke as usual, the almond trees bloomed on 3 April; the sprouting was registered in 27 April. Spring was marked by rain, coldness and unfortunately by the frosts on 1 and 13 May. This situation reduced by half the harvest in 2018.

Summer with moderate temperatures around 30oC characterized by rains and some isolated thunderstorms allowed the plants to grow and boost their vegetative cycle until the end of July where the vegetation normally slows down its natural growth at the end of this mentioned month. We meet a typical situation of an oceanic vegetative cycle not very frequent in the Soria Ribera del Duero.

From August to October it was dry and with moderate temperatures and plenty of hours of sunlight. This situation provided a slow ripening and the appearance of complex aromas of tinto fino and albillo.

The Wine

Roselito 2018 characterised by an oceanic-type vintage displays a complex aroma of subtle flowers with hints of vegetal fragrance. On the palate, the acidity from the fallen rain during the whole year feels the taste buds and at the same time it draws the main structure of the Roselito 2018 as a whole.

Grape variety: 80% Tinto Fino, 20% Albillo.

Wine-making: Direct pressing with whole bunches mixing red and white grapes. Fermentation in stainless steel vat for 21 days. Wine aging in stainless steel vat for 3 months.

Bottled: on 9th January 2018.

Production 2017: 31.000 bottles.

The wine

A dry and early vintage gives birth to a wine with low acidity and very generous in aromas. In nose, “baroque style”. In the mouth it keeps the Roselito style from the old vineyards of tinto fino and albillo, however, this one is more full bodied than ever.

2017, a dry and early year

An early year though the almond trees were not in flower in San Esteban de Gormaz until 13th March, a late date if compared to previous years.

Spring was cold and dry. There was a hard frost on the 28th April with temperatures minus 7oC, sweeping all the vine buds away although many of the buds had not appeared yet and consequently, they were saved. Even so 30% of the wine harvest was lost.

The flowering was very quick from 5th to 12th June. As a consequence, we assumed that we would get a homogenous ripening and a quick harvest and that is how it was.

Just before the beginning of the summer by the end of June, there was a rare heat wave with temperatures reaching 38oC for a fortnight what made the grapes have a thick skin and little pulp.

In July, the maximum temperature was normal but the minimum ones were too cold and 70 liters of water were registered on the 7th, 8th and 9th July. The veraison was early, starting on the 26 July fifteen days before. In August the weather was hot during the day and cool at night. On the 27, 28 and 29th , 50 liters of water were registered which let the vines remain fresh despite the general drought along the whole year.

Colchicum montanum flowers („quitameriendas‟), which announce the end of summer, appeared sooner on 8th September, 3 weeks before they normally do. Therefore, Roselito 2017 harvest happened from 20th to 23rd September. It was a fast harvest as we predicted!

Vines:

Harvest dates: 5-8 October 2016.

Soil: clay, sand and chalk.

Grape variety:

Tempranillo – Tinto Fino: 65.40%.

Albillo: 34,60%.

Aging

Direct pressing with whole bunches, mixing red and white grapes.

Fermentation temperature: starts at 16ºC, then the fermentation was monitored with cold water sleeves at 18-20ºC. The wine was fermented in stainless steel vat, a vat with a capacity of 15,600 litres and a vat that is always full with a capacity of 10,000 litres (with the remaining volume).

Fermentation time: Almost two months of fermentation, starting on 9 October and ending on 22 November.

Estimated volume after alcoholic fermentation: 20,027 litres.

Production in 2016: 27,354 bottles.

2016, Pleasant year of vintage

Roselito 2016 is a rose wine fruit of a mild year of vintage, with records of grape quality and quantity never seen before by Bertrand Sourdais since he arrived in Soria in 1999. We also noted a trait of this year of vintage as the existence of a summer drought that, as if by magic, did not lead to the plants suffering.

Roselito expresses itself with the delicacy of its origins in Soria, a fine elegant rosé wine ready to be loved by whoever tastes it.

The distinction of the year of vintage is perceived on the palate, noting a low acidity, that does not prevent the pH from remaining in very good parameters, giving the wine a sensation of subtle acidity. We are faced with a wine that is ‘done’, the result of a particular 2016 ‘millésime’ that has been transferred to the delicate palate of our Roselito.

Roselito 2016. Parker 88-91