2012 Arizona Stronghold Dayden Dry Rosé 750ml 6-Pack

A knock out dry rose that balances vibrant fruit with racy acidity. Offers zesty floral aromas of watermelon and spice, with layered strawberry and mineral flavors. Dayden, Apache for "little girl" was primarily crafted from the early picks of several red varietals grown in our high elevation, southerly vineyards. Lightly pressed and then fermented cold for nearly a month, the fresh aromatics of this dry rose jump out of the glass. Taste Arizona's landscape in every sip!

The Groundwork: The word Dayden in the Apache language means "little girl," this wine will always be a blend of grapes, although they may differ from vintage to vintage.  Dayden is all about subtlety and finesse, just like a little girl.

The Vintage: Harvest began in the first week of August, early compared to prior years. We experienced a hot and dry summer as well as early emergence in the Spring. The Summer rains were minimal and fruit ripening advanced quickly.  This extra heat led to many of the white varietals maturing early and at about the same time. After the rapid pace of harvesting all the whites, harvest settled into a steady rhythm allowing the Vineyard and Cellar to closely coordinate on picking each varietal and block at the optimal ripeness for their intended wine.

In mid September a period of about one week of rain delayed much of the harvest. This delay allowed the fruit to hang a little longer and develop more maturity prior to the harvest based on brix and acidity. Hang Time!  This rainy and cloudy period also provided a needed break to a harvest that began fast and furious. The 2012 harvest was a great opportunity for the Vineyard and Cellar to make coordinated choices to harvest a given block, this coordination led to the Cellar receiving the best fruit possible.