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

Presenting the 2021 vintage of Diora La Belle Fête Rosé of Pinot Noir, Estate Grown from our San Bernabe Vineyard in Monterey. This Rosé has a beautiful, pale pink hue. The indulgent style begins with aromas of fresh, ripe strawberries and notes of red grapefruit and honeydew melon that are inviting and alluring. The aromas are carried through on the palate and complemented by hints of mandarin and watermelon 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 are sure this Rosé adds a special touch to any festive occasion. Our Rosé wine will pair beautifully with salads, light pasta and rice dishes, especially with seafood, raw and lightly cooked shellfish and grilled fish. Enjoy alongside balanced dishes with depth of flavor such as Salade Niçoise, pappardelle with pork ragù or pan seared salmon with a lemon butter sauce and sautéed greens.

— James Ewart, Winemaker

WINE VINTAGE REPORT

The 2021 vintage began with spring rains and moderate, cool temperatures throughout the summer, which helped the vines produce exceptionally high-quality fruit, the heart of the best wines.

ROSÉ WINE VITICULTURE

The grapes for this wine come from our San Bernabe Estate in Monterey. The fruit was picked from two main Pinot Noir blocks selected because of the uniform red fruit flavors. With careful canopy management we were able to control vine vigor. The combination of these blocks provides the bright strawberry, red grapefruit, and hints of honeydew melon notes. The main block, planted with Clone 828, produces large berries with bright black cherry fruit characteristics, while the second block offers ripe red fruit notes. The canopies of both blocks were managed to allow air movement while protecting the Pinot Noir fruit from direct sun exposure to preserve the delicate aromas of this excellent wine.

WINEMAKING

Our veteran winemaker, James Ewart, oversees the team and the small-lot winery built in the vineyard. Diora is the culmination of experience, patience, and an unwavering commitment to craft a signature style all our own. The Pinot Noir for this Rosé wine is harvested earlier in the season when good natural acidity remained in the grapes. Picked in the early morning to minimize color extraction, the fruit was brought immediately to the winery in small bins. We blended a small amount of Grenache Rosé to lift the strawberry notes and to add a little weight along with a touch of aromatic Chardonnay to bring honeydew and subtle floral nuances to the nose. The palate is medium weight with crisp acidity. The majority of this Rosé wine blend was fermented in stainless steel, while a small portion in neutral oak for a touch of creaminess to the palate. After two months the wine was bottled.

TECHNICAL NOTES

• Vintage: 2021
• Varietal: 84% Pinot Noir, 8% Grenache, 4% Syrah, 3% Chardonnay < Malbec
• Appellation: 100% Estate Grown San Bernabe, Monterey
• Aging: ~88% fermented stainless steel, the remainder in neutral oak
• pH: 3.38
• Total Acid: 0.59 g/100ml
• Alcohol: 12% by volume