COUNOISE 2021 Estate Owl Hill Vineyard, Dry Creek Valley

Tasting Notes: Light cherry red color.  Medium-full body. Perfume of plum and watermelon. Fig, peach, new leather and caramel. Earthy lingering finish with cranberry and dust.

The Grape: Pronounced “coon-wahz”. This is an obscure Rhone variety with large dusty colored berries and soft tannin. Rare grape- To illustrate this; in the entire State of California there are only 56 acres of counoise compared to 39,610 acres of Pinot Noir. 

 The Vineyard: Frick Estate Owl Hill Vineyard is the hill to the west of the winery.  This tiny block is at the top of the hill. The soil is rock, gravel and clay from decomposed Dry Creek Conglomerate.  At this site the vines have low vigor and produce grapes that are distinctive, full and complex with the unique character that only counoise has to offer. 

The Wine:
 100% Estate grown counoise. Aged 22 months in neutral oak barrels. Aromatic and elegant character. A low alcohol (12.6%) European style wine that delivers subtle clear red fruit flavors. Drink now to 2026. 
Only 115 cases made.

Serve with: margarita pizza, crisp bread sticks wrapped with salame, pasta with peas and butter, spring vegetable soup, teleme cheese, tuna tartar, rotisserie chicken, creamy grilled eggplant, duck breast, mushroom lasagna, spaghetti squash with pesto, ripe figs with proscuitto