Rootdown Wine Cellars "Cole Ranch" 2023 Trousseau Cole Ranch AVA

750ml bottle

12.3% abv

100% Trousseau

The Cole ranch Trousseau consists of two clones from the Jura that were grafted to existing vines in 2020. One from Côtes du Jura and the other from Arbois, with each one providing their own personality. The Arbois clone was harvested on October 2nd and the Côtes du Jura clone on October 17th.

The fermentations are divided into smaller vessels to focus on temperature control. Trousseau likes to ferment hot so the lower the mass, the lower the radiant heat. To achieve optimal aromatics and temperature control, Mike uses 30% whole cluster in each fermenter and employs a gentle mixing technique rather than punchdowns.

This wine sees minimal intervention, with the addition of only negligible amounts of sulfur, equivalent to the natural quantities present in the vineyards upon harvest.

Tasting notes

Welcome to the Jura! We've captured pure Trousseau expression of red current, acai, violets, and penny royal. This Trousseau shows a little more structure than that of St. Amant in Amador County, due to the clones, climate, and clay-based soils. There's a juicy finish that's remembrance of concord grape but stylish with a sophisticated lingering end. More purple fruits come to mind with this wine.

Cole Ranch

Our vineyard, Cole Ranch, is the smallest Appellation in the United States at 180 acres and 44 acres producing fruit. It sits inside of a terrarium-like microclimate and is tightly surrounded by multiple mountain ranges and hills with no other vineyards close by. Cooler and wetter than surrounding wine producing areas, its high elevation, drastic temperature swings, and overall cooler climate leads to a longer growing season, which preserves the acidity that is unique to Cole Ranch fruit.

Cole Ranch hosts a terroir known for wines expressing vitality, earthiness, and electricity.

When Mike acquired this vineyard in 2019, he began the stewardship of a vineyard that expresses its true self with grapes that thrive in its unique conditions. With steep terrain and a unique microclimate, Cole Ranch is particularly suited to growing Alpine grape varieties to create unique, thought-provoking wines lead by terroir and texture.