La Belle Fête

Named for the golden hills of the Santa Lucia Mountain Range that frames our family-owned San Bernabe Vineyard in Monterey, Diora wines are inspired from “d’Or,” the French phrase meaning “golden” and bestowed on beautiful, sun-filled regions. No effort has been spared along Diora’s 30-year journey from vineyard-to-bottle. The result is an expressive Rosé wine overflowing with flavor, depth and personality and a devotion to indulgence.

WINEMAKER'S TASTING NOTE

This wine has a beautiful, pale pink hue and the indulgent style begins with aromas of juicy red cherries, fresh strawberries and notes of pink grapefruit that are inviting and alluring. The aromas are carried through on the palate with vibrant acidity and an elegant medium weight mouthfeel showcasing the quality of the fruit from our Estate Vineyard. La Belle Fête means – the beautiful party in French and we hope it adds a special touch to any festive occasion. It will pair beautifully with salads, light pasta, and rice dishes, especially with seafood, raw and lightly cooked shellfish and grilled fish.

— James Ewart, Winemaker

WINE VINTAGE REPORT

The 2023 vintage experienced heavy rainfall in spring and an extended mild summer without major heat spikes, leading to a later than normal ripening year. Picking in San Bernabe occurred 4 weeks later than the 2022 vintage. This cool growing and ripening season led to very bright acidities in the grapes, which show on the palate. The vintage boasts delicate f loral/citrus blossom notes supported by bright acidity retention and a clean, fresh finish.

ROSÉ WINE VITICULTURE

The grapes for this blend come primarily from our San Bernabe Vineyard in Monterey and are sourced from a couple main blocks. Our pinot noir block is selected due to the uniform red fruit flavors. Block 102 is clone 828 and is a favorite of ours for producing bright cherry/watermelon notes with hints of blueberry. The Syrah Block 98B gives the blend a splash of color and additional hints of strawberry. The Grenache adds a touch of Bing cherries to the blend.

WINEMAKING

Our veteran winemaker, James Ewart, oversees the team and the small-lot winery built in the vineyard. Picked in the cool of the morning, the grapes are sent directly to the press and cold settled overnight before being racked into stainless steel tanks. A large portion of the blend was then inoculated initially with Khio and thereafter Zymaf lore X5. This specialty yeast is known for its ability to produce thiol-type varietal aromas, which enhance the bright cherry and f loral aromas in this wine. The Syrah and Grenache were kept separate, and barrel fermented in neutral barrels. This brief sur lie aging added subtle mouthfeel, texture, and richness to build the palate. The pinot lot was monitored with careful attention to acidity and balance. Syrah and Grenache accompany the pinot rose to add multi-dimensional fruit and floral aromas.

TECHNICAL NOTES

• Vintage: 2023
• Varietal: 88.9% Pinot Noir (Rosé), 4.7% Grenache (Rosé), 4.7% Syrah (Rosé), 1.7% Chardonnay
• Appellation: 100% Estate Grown San Bernabe, Monterey
• Aging: Portions aged in French and American oak barrels for 2 months
• pH: 3.39
• Total Acid: 0.48 g/100ml
• Alcohol: 12% by volume