‘Raphael’

Rosato | Sicilia - Italy

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About

Raphael is known as the “patron saint of travelers and ‘happy meetings’.” There are not many wines more fitting to drink while one travels nor to share in happy meetings than a chilled glass of rosé. It is a wine meant to be shared with good company and sharing in the great times that spring and summer so often bring. It is known that Italian rosés (read rosato) are often heavy handed and dark in color. This strays from that summation and brings a touch of the Côte d’Azur to Sicily. The varietal make-up of this wine changes every vintage, but it always remains in the same quaffable style. The 2023 vintage is 86% Zibibbo from Castellammare and 14% Syrah from Salemi at almost 1000 feet above sea level. It was a very rainy May with no wind at all, which made it a very difficult year especially for mildew control, so lots of energy was put into managing the vines (leaf removal, green harvest, etc.). The silver lining is that thanks to all this extra care, the 2023 vintage is looking incredible with plenty of vitality and zing.

The grapes were all handpicked and brought back to the cellar for immediate pressing. The grapes were soft pressed at 15C° then the two musts were blended. Static sedimentation occured at 5C° before fermentation was launched with innoculated yeasts in stainless steel tanks at 15C° for approximately 20 days. After fining, filtration, and a sulfur addition, the wine was bottled.

Stats

Grapes: 86% Zibibbo - 14% Syrah
Vineyard: Castellammare (Zibibbo) and Salemi (Syrah)
Vine Age: Average: 20-years-old
Soil Type: Varied: Primarily brown clay and limestone
Viticulture: Sustainable - practicing organic
Fermentation: Inoculated – stainless-steel
Skin Contact: 2 hours
Aging: 3 months in stainless-steel
Alcohol: 12%
Residual Sugar: 5 g/L
pH: 3.17
Total Acidity: 5.9 g/L
Total SO2: 93 ppm
Total Production: 1,600 cases
UPC: 8009720641250

Tasting Note

Pale pink. Peppery and floral aromas mingle with red berries on the nose. The palate is quite round and juicy with a persistent finish and firm acidity. It’s really a perfect summertime sipper.

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2023

‘Raphael’

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