Grenache Rosé 2023, Corteza Vineyards

Corteza’s 2024 Grenache Rosé is a bright, pale pink rosé from Knightsen, made from organically farmed Grenache grown just inland from the Delta. It is fresh and straightforward in the best sense of the word, offering notes of strawberry, raspberry, and a little citrus over a crisp, lively frame.

What makes this wine appealing is its balance. The fruit is generous without feeling heavy, and the acidity keeps everything lifted and clean through the finish. There is a nice sense of ease to it—nothing overworked, nothing trying too hard—just a well-made rosé that feels honest, refreshing, and very drinkable.

This is the kind of bottle that works with grilled shrimp, salads, picnic food, hummus, or a plate of snacks on a warm afternoon. It is local, easy to enjoy, and exactly the sort of wine that earns its place in the fridge all season.

About the Winery

Tucked into the quiet delta town of Knightsen, Corteza Vineyards is a family-run estate rooted in the belief that great wine begins beneath the surface. Founded as a premium grape-growing operation, for years the family sold their fruit to other producers. In recent seasons, however, they’ve begun bottling under their own name — and embarked on partnering with noted Contra Costa winemaker Sebastian Erggelet of Erggelet Brothers Wine to shape the style and production of their estate wines.

Their name — “Corteza,” meaning “bark” or “outer layer” in Spanish — nods to both vine-skin and the deep connection between healthy soil and expressive fruit. The home terrain is rich delta loam, a mix of sand, silt, and clay that balances moisture and nutrients while encouraging deep root systems. This soil, shaped over centuries by the Sacramento–San Joaquin Delta, is infused with minerals like calcium, iron and magnesium — the quiet architects of flavor, structure and longevity in wine.

At Corteza, sustainable and organic farming isn’t a marketing phrase — it’s a philosophy. The team tends their vineyards with biodiversity in mind, avoiding synthetic chemicals and nurturing the living ecosystem beneath each row. This harmony between soil, vine and climate yields wines that speak clearly of place: bright yet structured, bold yet balanced.

From the sun-drenched Grenache 2023 to their aromatic whites, every bottle reflects Knightsen’s distinct terroir — a meeting of delta air, coastal breeze and loamy depth. It’s proof that in this humble corner of Contra Costa County, the earth still has stories worth telling — one sip at a time.