For this month's feature, we have a delightful selection of two wines that perfectly complement all your Thanksgiving dinner festivities, holiday get-togethers, and even those relaxing gift wrapping sessions. These choices will challenge the notion that rosé is exclusively reserved for the summertime.
Stolpman Vineyards was founded by husband and wife team Tom & Marilyn Stolpman. On their honeymoon in Napa Valley, Marilyn put the wild idea into Tom’s head about one day owning a vineyard. In 1988 their search for limestone near the ocean ended with the purchase of what is now Stolpman Vineyards in Ballard Canyon AVA of Santa Barbara County. In 1994, Ruben “the Grape Whisperer” and his wife Maria Solorzano became the vineyard managers at Stolpman – employing a year-round team and empowering them through mentorship and a profit sharing program.
Tom’s son Peter joined the family business in 2009 after working for a reputable wine distributor. Since he joined the team, he took back the majority of the vineyard for wine production rather than selling the grapes. He also helped increase Ruben’s La Cuardilla profit sharing program for the vineyard workers to 10% of all Stolpman production. Stolpman Vineyards’ story is reminiscent of the early pioneers of American winegrowing. They started with a dream of cultivating land with their family, included all of those who maintain the land into the family, and produce world class wine initially through trial and error and evolving to hone their skills through collaboration.
Over in France, in the hamlet of Le Breuil, deep in the southern Beaujolais and perched above a narrow creek, the Domaine Dupeuble has been running almost continuously since 1512. The name of the domaine has changed just three times in its history, most recently when the last heir, Anna Asmaquer, married Jules Dupeuble in 1919. Anna’s son Paul, and her grandchildren Ghislaine and Stéphane Dupeuble, manage the domaine.
Tradition runs deep in the family, but each generation has also managed to add something new, including increasing the property. Today it is comprised of one hundred hectares, about forty percent of which is dedicated to vineyards. Strong advocates of the lutte raisonnée approach to vineyard work, they tend their vines without the use of any chemicals or synthetic fertilizers. The vineyards, planted primarily to Gamay, face Southeast, South, and Southwest, and about two thirds of the property is on granite-based soil. The grapes are harvested manually and vinified completely without SO2. The wines are not chaptalized, filtered, or degassed and only natural yeasts are used for the fermentation. The wines of Dupeuble represent some of the best values in the Beaujolais today and are widely regarded for their very high quality and eminently reasonable price.
Think Pink!
Carrie Upson-General Manager
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2022 Stolpman “Para Mia” Rosé |
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Region/Country of Origin: Santa Barbara County, CA |
About the Vineyards: Active, youthful 2 million year-old Limestone provides balancing acidity to all of our wines while the thin layer of dense clay topsoil above allows retention of moisture. Because of this one-two combo, we can withhold irrigation from the roots, forcing them to dig deep into the white rock and absorb all that terroir! Daily mistrals originate from the cold Arctic flow of Pacific Ocean pushing through our fully-exposed hillsides. The Mojave far to our east sucks up the cold air as its desert heat rises – the vacuum creates a perennial wind tunnel through Ballard Canyon rivaling the Northern Rhone in force and relentlessness. Our hearty vines continue to photosynthesize in the wind but the fluttering leaves don’t suck for water. Without dilution, flavor concentration intensifies. The wind also knocks down fungal pressure, giving the winery team pristinely clean fruit. About the Winemaking: Whole clusters are direct-pressed in stainless tanks. The wine is fermented and aged in 100% Stainless Steel,and is kept at extremely cold temperature for freshness and natural stability. Tasting Notes: Uber fresh orange blossom and hibiscus. Crunchy and bright with a zesty red fruit layer charging through the palate right up to the crisp finish. Bone dry and only 11% alcohol, like all great Mourvèdre Rosé, the tactile layers carry the day. As the wine settles into the glass and warms up, a misty ground-fog of airy texture creeps through the mouth allowing the tangy, spicy fruit profile to swirl, elevated within. |
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Winemaker: Kyle Knapp |
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Price: $21.99 per btl/ $226.70 per case |
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Suggested Food Pairing: Roasted delicata squash, spiced seafood, Lebanese meze, Lamb tagine, stuffing with chorizo. |
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2021 Domaine Dupeble Beaujolais Rosé |
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Region/Country of Origin: Beaujolais, France |
About the Winery: The estate now known as Domaine Dupeuble was first established all the way back in 1512. Today the winery is run by Ghislaine, Paul, and Stephane Dupeuble, who represent the next generation of winemaking in Beaujolais. The Dupeubles produced this rich, unfiltered Gamay from vines aged between 50 and 100 years, which adds serious intensity and concentration. About the Winemaking: This rosé is made by direct press. Full malolactic fermentation. Vinified and aged in stainless steel tanks for 3 months before bottling. Tasting Notes: Refreshing acidity balanced by ripe red fruits. Simultaneously fun to drink and a wine of real substance, with an extra dimension of depth along with an array of delightful flavors and textures. |
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Winemaker: Stéplane, Ghislaine, and Paul Dupeuble. |
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Price: $17.99 bottle/$ |
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Suggested Food Pairing: Cauliflower gratin, Potato galette, popovers, roast turkey and cranberry sauce. |
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