2019 Sweet Louise

Description

Tasting Notes

Refreshing and fruity, think white peach, honey suckle, and dried sugar lemons. The favors grow on you, starting with light peach, dried apricot, honey, and then transitioning to soft citrus notes and a creamy smooth finish. Drinks nicely on its own or over grilled peaches or pound cake.

Vineyard Source

Coyote Canyon Vineyard – Horse Heaven Hills AVA

2019 Vineyard Review

2019 started with some cold winter weather. The month of February was one of the whitest months I can remember. We had lots of snow that continued into March. The soils were wet and when spring hit growth took off. We did not need to irrigate the grapes until July, much later than average. The summer was warm but not overly extreme. The heat units were on pace with some of the hotter vintages early but trailed off as summer came to an end. The grapes for our Sweet Louise were hand picked into small lugs. We then transferred the grapes to a cold storage where they were frozen. In January we took the grapes out and pressed them to start fermenting.

Winemaker Notes

This just might be the best vintage of Sweet Louise I have every made. This wine is showing lots of desirable characteristics. The trick with dessert wines is making sure you retain the fruitiness; you do not want to allow the wine to oxidize. Picking late and using frozen grapes to make the wine seems to leave it in a vulnerable state after fermentation and prior to bottling. This vintage made the transition seamlessly and shows intense fruit aromatics. I have made this wine several times over the years and always want to try and do better. This year I am extremely happy with the results. Not as sweet as previous vintages the wine drinks amazingly well on its own. The sugar is balanced with some acidity and while the wine is rich and smooth it does not have an overly cloying body. In past years I found the Sweet Louise was best when poured over fruit or used in cooking, this year I just say pour me a glass and let’s go.

Awards

Double Gold 2021 San Francisco Chronicle Wine Awards