2024 Tempranillo

STORY OF THE TEMPRANILLO

Rosehall Run's Estate vineyard consists of many varietals - some you might not actually see on our shelf. That is because Prince Edward County was, early on, a very experimental area for grape growing. Sitting on the edge of what many consider the optimum grape growing climate, the pioneers of the PEC wine community knew that Chardonnay and Pinot Noir would grow here because they have a shorter growing season, but many asked what else could work. There are many small plots of experimental varietals around Ontario, but Tempranillo accounts for only 2 that we know of. Our small plot and one at Stratus on Niagara-on-the-Lake. While we have had our struggles with growing it here, when we get a good vintage with enough yield (the last was 2017), it is cause for a celebration.

GROWING SEASON

The vineyard experienced a cool, yet extended growing season in 2024 which allowed for perfect maturity and typical County expression across all our planted varietals. Rosehall Run Vineyard's '24 crop tonnage was considered an average crop by County standards. Rosehall Run's average yields would be considered small in other regions, but our lower crop yields allow the grape to better express the Terroir of the area.

VINEYARDS

Comprising just over 1000 vines in our North Block, the Tempranillo was planted in 2013, in arguably one of the rockiest areas of the vineyard with the least amount of soil. The struggle for these vines is real! The Tempranillo is always the last varietal harvested each year and this vintage was no exception with the fruit coming in on October 22nd.

WINEMAKER'S NOTES

The winemaking for the 2024 Tempranillo was pretty simple, which is how we like to do things at Rosehall Run and is in keeping with the newer style of Spanish winemaking. The fruit was handpicked and left to ferment on the skins for 2 weeks. It was then barreled down early November in French Oak - one third of the barrels were new. We blended the barrels for bottling after approximately 7 months. The County Tempranillo drinks, surprisingly, very similar to Pinot Noir in body with a little more tannin structure, which we feel is a true testament to the Terroir of our vineyard