Rosé of Pinot Noir 2024, West of One

On August 23rd 2024, the Keresey family woke up at 12:30 am to begin a night harvest for this exquisite Rosé. They brought the fruit to the winery at sun-up where it was destemmed and gently crushed and pressed. The juice was immediately transferred to neutral French Oak barrels and underwent a slow, cool fermentation with native yeast. The barrel aging offers this wine subtle richness and mid-palate weight, and balances out the mouthwatering minerality and spunky acidity. A second, smaller component of this rose is free-run juice (Saignée of Pinot Noir) that was also fermented cold and slow in stainless steel barrels.

The final blend was 60% barrel fermented and 40% stainless steel fermented. The barrel fermented portion, while higher in natural acidity and lower in sugar, was fermented dry and adds the bright & aromatic component to the wine; think fresh strawberries and early season raspberries with a whisper of salinity from the coastal fog. The Saignée Rosé adds richer and slightly darker fruit qualities (think mid season Raspberry Pie, even an early season fresh blueberry tart), and was also fermented dry.

The result is one of the best Rosé’s we've had – a true afternoon "patio-pick-me-up," but also serious enough to be paired with a world class meal.

About the Winery

Nick and Mandy, aka Neeks and Fish, are 4th generation California grape growers and winemakers. Their great, great grandparents owned and developed a world-class and world-famous vineyard on the top of Spring Mountain in Napa, just over the hill from where West of One is today. Grape growing and winemaking is in their blood, innovation is in their spirit, and they are artists, creators, and entrepreneurs at heart. 

Since purchasing their vineyard in 2011, they always had a vision of making great wine from their little home ranch, a four acre, Russian River Valley Pinot Noir vineyard. The Keresey vineyard is what most would consider “old vine Pinot Noir” — their vines were planted almost 30 years ago, which for RRV Triple 7 Pinot, is pretty old! The vines were planted by renowned viticulturist, Saralee Kunde. Many years ago, the Keresey's began making "garage wine” with the family, even enlisting their kids to help gently stomp the clusters. And that's not all. Year after year, siblings, parents, uncles, aunts and close friends were somehow inspired to show up and harvest.

They eventually plateaued; it was time to elevate their game, so they started throwing around the idea of creating a brand. In 2021, West of One was officially born. The name refers to all those parts of the California coastline that are in fact west of highway one. It's a part of the state that holds a special place in Nick & Mandy's hearts. It's where they met, it’s where they got married, and it’s where they love to escape, both in person and in their hearts & souls.

As Californians we all love the coast, we all love exploring the natural beauty, fresh air and cool coastal days. We love searching for polished urchin shells, getting tickled by an anemone, harvesting Dungies, Lings and Kings, and simply walking on a pier and enjoying some Monterey Bay calamari, fish tacos or halibut fish & chips. We all love the coast, we all could use more of it. West of One is an homage to California’s amazing coast, and was created to inspire and enhance that West of One feeling!

Neeks and Fish were both actively and vocally involved in all aspects of design from glass/bottle choice, logo design, cork quality and layout and web design, to middle of the night harvests, weekend trips to the winery and involvement on bottling days. This is a Keresey Family affair!