2019 Rock Juice X Purity ‘Pop Rocks’ Pétillant Naturel

Region: Russian River Valley + Mendocino < California

Grapes: 75 Pinot Noir, 25 Chardonnay

Vineyard/Cellar Stats: Organic farming; some carbonic fermentation on the Pinot, then foot tread and fermented on skins for 10 days before gently pressing; Chardonnay fermented separately then added to Pinot juice to co-ferment for another 10 days before bottling under crown cap at 2 brix; hand-disgorged, topped off and re-capped; no added So2; 10.8% ABV; 30 cases 

Winemaker: Melissa, Patience + Noel!

 This is our first wine, a collaboration between Rock Juice and the amazing Noel Diaz of Purity Wines!  Noel got a lead on some beautiful organic fruit from Russian River Valley. We had been talking about making a wine together, so this seemed like the perfect opportunity.  We decided to make a fizzy pink Pet’Nat with the fruit, which had undergone some carbonic fermentation. Then we channeled our inner Lucy & Ethel and had a dance party on the grapes.  IT WAS SO FUN! Turns out we were a little aggressive with the foot stomping and released a teensy bit too many tannins for our Pet’Nat plan. The juice went from pretty pink to deep ruby, and took on a tannic structure that wouldn’t be as pleasant with the bubbles.  So we added in some Chardonnay juice (from the CCOF-certified Lolonis vineyard in Mendo) and let the juices mingle (co-ferment) for another 10 days. Then we bottled at 2 brix, and let them rest up upside down to allow the yeast cap to form in the neck. Finally, we hand-disgorged (and had to mad-scientist like top off the bottles) with a team of 6 helpers on a grueling, 6-hour assembly line.  IT WAS HARD WORK! Patience designed the sweet label, and she and her mom (and Noel) painstakingly attached them to the bottles by hand.  

A lot of time and love went into these bottles, but we couldn’t be happier with the result - the juice is a pretty magenta color, with just the right amount of fizz.  The fruit is sweetly spicy, with red-hot cinnamon and cloves and tart cranberries. It tastes like Christmas in a bottle!