# Stairway Vineyard Grenache Rosé (2025)

- **Producer:** J. Lohr Vineyards & Wines
- **Colour:** rosé
- **Type:** still
- **Grapes:** Grenache Noir
- **Region:** California, United States
- **Style:** Classic
- **Alcohol:** 13.5%
- **Average price:** €30
- **Contains sulphites:** Yes
- **When to drink:** Now
- **Serving temperature:** 7–10 °C
- **Aromas & flavours:** pear, strawberry, grapefruit, blossom, mango, passion fruit, cream, biscuit

## About this wine

Founded in 1974, J. Lohr Vineyards & Wines is a pioneering family-owned estate in California's Central Coast. The Stairway Vineyard is located in the high-elevation western sector of the Adelaida District in Paso Robles, characterized by steep, terraced slopes with grades up to 75%. The vineyard's name reflects these dramatic, step-like chalk terraces. The soils here are composed of ancient uplifted seabed rich in calcareous limestone and fossilized seashells, which imparts a distinct character to the vines. This micro-production rosé is crafted from just four acres of Grenache Noir dedicated exclusively to this estate bottling, resulting in an extremely limited release of only 165 cases.

## Interesting facts

- The vineyard features steep terraces with grades reaching up to 75%, requiring physical caution from the viticultural team.
- The soils are rich in calcareous chalk rock where fossilized seashells from an ancient uplifted seabed are routinely found.
- This highly allocated, winery-exclusive rosé had an extremely limited production of only 165 cases for the 2025 vintage.

## Food pairing

This dry rosé works beautifully with lighter proteins and fresh, fruit-forward dishes due to its high acidity and medium body. The crispness cuts through the richness of smoked salmon and quiche, while the wine's subtle berry notes complement fresh strawberry salads. Its lack of heavy tannins prevents clashing with delicate fish and poultry.

## Wine making process

The Grenache Noir grapes were hand-harvested in the cool early morning of September 29, 2025, and transported in bins layered with dry ice to prevent oxidation. After destemming and sorting, the fruit underwent a gentle crush followed by a short two-hour skin maceration to extract its delicate blush-pink color. The juice was fermented slowly at cool temperatures (around 16°C) for over two months using Zymaflore X16 yeast to enhance vibrant fruit esters. To build texture and roundness on the palate, the wine was aged sur lie (on its lees) in small stainless steel barrels for three months. Malolactic fermentation was completely blocked to preserve the wine's crisp, vibrant structure.