2024 Birichino - Vin Gris Rose (750ml)

Birichino was founded in 2008 in Santa Cruz, California, by winemakers who set out to champion the state's overlooked old-vine and heritage vineyards. The estate has built its reputation on seeking out historic plantings, often dry-farmed and own-rooted, then handling them with a light touch to let their age and site speak clearly in the glass. This bottling marks the fifteenth vintage of Birichino's dedicated rosé program, sourced specifically for the wine rather than declassified from red production.

The blend leans on Grenache grown on deep sand over shale in the Salinas Valley, joined by Cinsault and Mourvèdre from own-rooted vines planted in the 1880s and 1890s, along with Carignane from vines dating to the late 1920s and a small addition of Vermentino. Grapes are harvested at night to preserve freshness, then direct-pressed and fermented with native yeast in a single stainless steel tank, with elevage continuing in steel through the following spring and malolactic fermentation intentionally withheld for added brightness.

The result is a vivid pink rosé with aromas of tart raspberry, strawberry candy, and rosewater, framed by crisp acidity and a lifted, floral finish. It pairs nicely with chilled shellfish, a citrusy green salad, or spicy Southeast Asian noodles.