2022 Private Property, Brut Rosé, Sparkling Wine, Santa Lucia Highlands AVA, Monterey County.
The Private Property Brut Rosé, by the Caraccioli family, offers up tons of personality, classic dry bubbly elegance and is a delicious way to celebrate life, the day and or a special occasion. I was lucky enough to sample this vintage at the recent Santa Lucia Highlands Wine, Sun and Wine event and really enjoyed the inviting pale salmon color and the crisp focus in the glass, with its bright fresh palate of citrus, peach, strawberry, red apple and tart cherry fruits, along with a fine yeasty character. There’s some extra depth here, though not as serious as the Caraccioli Cellars bottlings, and I appreciated the mineral stony elements. Produced in the real Méthode Champenoise technique, with hand bottle conditioning, with a low dosage, the Private Property Brut Rosé, which was a cuvée of 58% Chardonnay and 42% Pinot Noir, was aged between 16 to 18 months on the lees. The grapes were gently pressed in a Coquard Press and fermented in stainless steel with a selected yeast and then saw 2 months in French oak with no Malo-lactic, after which it saw the mentioned Champagne style bottle finishing, with the delicate hue coming from the addition of a splash of Pinot Noir still wine.
Private Property was created by the Caraccioli family, separate from their top tier grower producer, Champagne style sparkling wines, to showcase the rich viticulture traditions of Monterey County’s farming community, with a full range of offerings focusing on the Santa Lucia Highlands region. Scott Caraccioli says that for Private Property he has partnered with organically or sustainably farmed vineyards and utilizes Caraccioli’s rigorous cellar practices to deliver approachable yet complex wines that punch above their weight class and highlight the abundant character of Monterey County’s maritime terroirs. Pinot Noir and Chardonnay are the mainstays here, though they have expanded into still Rosé, sparkling Brut Rosé, Sas seen here, plus Sauvignon Blanc, and there’s ben a few limited releases of Grenache and Pinot Gris. The label art represents the framework of the Salinas Valley’s historic ranches and homesteads, and each plot represents multiple generations of the area’s farmers. Caraccioli has proved great terroir driven sparkling wine can be made here in California and they made arguably the best bubbly in America, and this second label offering is a great way to get started, as it is superb value.
($40 Est.) 93 Points, grapelive