L'Avion 2023

Stolpman’s Old Vine Roussanne 
We have a singular opportunity to make opulent, intriguing Roussanne.  Our southern location near 34 degrees latitude gives the Roussanne grapes intense sunshine to tan the grapes their namesake “Rousse” or Rust color.  Limestone soils and pacific-influenced cold nights combine to maintain acidity late in the year.  Low humidity and high winds keep the grapes clear of mold and for better or worse, we never get significant rainfall through harvest.  We can “wait out” the late-ripening grape until it is perfectly golden and concentrated. 
La Cuadrilla takes every possible effort in the vineyard to optimize the potential of our Roussanne fruit. In the late summer we pull every leaf away from the fruit to allow for full sun penetration.  Then, about a month prior to harvest, when the sun-exposed side of each cluster tans, but the inside of the cluster remains green, every grape cluster is gently hand-rotated 180 degrees to facilitate an even suntan.  
Wine destined for L’Avion must go through three cuts.  First, only the two older blocks of Roussanne are eligible for L’Avion.  Then, only the prettiest, evenly “Rousse” - or sun-tanned clusters are selected by La Cuadrilla.  And last, we select only our favorite barrels for L’Avion.  
In the late 1930s, teenage cattle rancher Anchor Johnson and his buddies landed their rickety plane down the straight chute where Roussanne is now planted.  The young men parked the plane under the oak tree at the end of the dirt strip.  Roussanne rows now run lengthwise along the old runway, creating the inspiration for the lanes on the L’Avion label.
Healthy late season rains pushed back bud-break and the growing season by 3-4 weeks. We escaped the summer without any extreme heat events that would have accelerated ripening.  This moderate weather led to even, slow sugar accumulation.   October weather warmed up and pushed the vines through the finish line for a smooth, seamless, and plush vintage that still carries plenty of bright energy.  Not uncharacteristically, we finished harvesting Roussanne in mid-November, the very last varietal to be picked.
Bombshell of honey and toast sing through the nose down to the chest, straight to the heart.   So grandiose yet delicately nuanced – a soft creaminess rides atop the sensory flood.  Caramel drizzled pear peaks out over the honeysuckle.  In the mouth, the wine coats but remains high toned with freshness.   Long after the finish, more and more buttery coats reappear.