Matt
Courtney is probably better known for his day job making the show stopping
wines at Arista or for his 8-year stint making wines with the famous Helen
Turley at Marcassin. As a philosophy
student-turned-sommelier, he fell in love with Pinot Noir and Chardonnay and
has spent the last 16 years finding his own voice in winemaking. In 2013, Matt partnered with his longtime
friend David Wherritt and the late grower Ulises Valdez to produce a small
handful of wines from the Sonoma Coast that focus on tiny quantities at the
highest possible quality level. Native
yeasts, high acid, and minimal oak belie the gorgeous ripeness and lush texture
of his wines.
This bottling is the unicorn
of the line-up you might say ~ their single vineyard Rosé of Pinot Noir from
the esteemed Frei Road Vineyard in Sonoma.
And now, we have it here as an exclusive offering through ACME!!!
100% Pinot Noir from Frei
Road Vineyard. Harvested at a zippy 19.5
brix, gently whole cluster pressed for 4-5 hours, and then aged in stainless
steel tanks before bottling. The
beautiful color is a shimmering rose gold in the glass, followed by vibrant aromas
of summer strawberry, candied fruit blossoms, and fresh rose petals along with
white peach, nectarine, and hints of dried Herbes de Provence and ocean
breeze. The palate is fresh and bright
yet chock-full of flavor. This wine is
delicious enough to be enjoyed on its own (dangerously delicious!), but it also
has layers of complexities that make it a great Rosé to have with food as well
(grilled sausages, fresh green salads, Thai soup are a few things that come to
mind). Though summer is over, the time
to drink Rosé is not. And while it
lasts, this one will be my "must-have cold and close by" everyday bottle of
rosé.
