Stephen Ross, Grenache Blanc 2021, Paragon Vineyard, Edna Valley, San Luis Obispo, CA

This low acid white wine has a crisp & light palate with notes of honeysuckle, snap peas, lime, ocean air, and a slight spritzy finish.

COUNTRY: United State of America (USA)

STATE: CA

APPELLATION (AVA): Edna Valley

REGION: Central Coast

SUBREGION: San Luis Obispo County

VINEYARDS: Paragon Vineyard

VINTAGE: 2021

GRAPES: Grenache Blanc (Clone 141, Languedoc, France)

SOIL: Gravelly, rocky alluvial

PRACTICE: Organic, ethical farming, sustainable in practice (SIP) certified.

VINIFICATION:  Hand-harvested, whole cluster pressed, Stainless steel fermentation, no malolactic, aged cold in stainless steel sur lies

STYLE: Still

COLOR: Pale off-white

BODY: Light to Medium (3-4)

TASTE: Dry

PRIMARY AROMAS: Honeysuckle, floral, tropical, ocean breeze, fresh linnen

FLAVOR: Crisp, low acidity, sugar snap pea, lime, slightly spritzy finish

FORMAT: 750 ml

ALCOHOL: 12.5%

SERVICE AND SUGGESTION: Enjoy paired with dishes including tuna, swordfish, grilled snapper, mahi mahi, or halibut.

ABOUT THE PRODUCER: 
In the summer of 1994, Stephen Ross Dooley started his label Stephen Ross at a custom crush winery in Santa Maria. By the next year he moved to Talley Vineyards to make his wines and in 1998 moved to Courtside Cellars in the Edna Valley – a large custom crush winery that Dooley designed and helped establish.

In 2001 he developed an estate vineyard planted exclusively to Pinot Noir in partnership with Talley Vineyards called Stone Corral Vineyard; it is located in the Edna Valley, a designated American Viticultural Area (AVA). Home to several well-known vineyards, the Edna Valley exemplifies the characteristic microclimate and geologic features, which are the hallmark of the south central coast; an east-west valley, which mitigates its temperate climate with cooling, ocean-borne breezes. This provides a long growing season ideal for the development of Pinot Noir, Chardonnay and Petite Sirah grapes.

More recently, in 2005 he invested in new winemaking equipment and moved to Santa Maria where he leased a winery building to make his wine directly under his control. In 2008 Stephen Ross moved to a new building at 178 Suburban Road , San Luis Obispo for wine production as well as a tasting room.

ABOUT THE VINEYARD: 
The Edna Valley is located on the South Central Coast of California next to the town of San Luis Obispo. The valley spans in a northeast-southwest orientation and is open at the Pacific Ocean to the West; it lies in Southern California at 34 degrees latitude and receives an abundance of light from a “directly overhead” sun. The climate is strongly influenced by regular summer-time afternoon cool breezes coming from the Pacific Ocean. This is a unique climate of cool air temperature and intense sunlight.