White & Rosé Wines
Estate Rosé
Dovecote’s Estate Rosé is fermented at near freezing temperatures over an extended period of nearly six months to create a complex bouquet of beautiful floral aromatics.
In the glass, a light shade of copper offers compelling notes of strawberries and cream, fresh cut roses, and wet stones. This wine pairs perfectly with foods such as French charcuterie, seared scallops, Asian cuisine, and creamy pastas.
Estate Grenache Blanc
In the mid-2000’s, master winemaker Craig Jaffurs convinced David Thompson to take a risk and graft over some of his old Cabernet Franc vines to a new varietal. Less than 100 acres existed in California at the time, but France’s Rhone Valley had long produced distinctly elegant food-driven Grenache Blancs. Craig was convinced the cool climate at Thompson Vineyard could produce a classic style with a perfect balance of minerality, acidity, and aromatics. The gamble paid off — Thompson Vineyard’s Grenache Blanc turned out to be exquisite. At Dovecote we’ve graciously taken the baton to produce our own estate Grenache Blanc. Never heavy-handed, sweet, or oaky, it is bright and elegant, and always a delicious complement on the table, in a picnic basket, or as a refreshing end to the day. Dovecote Grenache Blanc is fermented in stainless steel with no secondary fermentation. It is bottled fresh and ready to enjoy over the next 2-4 years.
Estate Chardonnay
Dovecote’s Estate Chardonnay was planted in 1990 on its own roots to the coveted Wente clone. Alisos Canyon’s cool ocean influence extends ripening and preserves acidity for a clean, crisp, expression of this full bodied varietal. To preserve it’s natural freshness and energy, the wine is made using 100% stainless steel with no oak and or malolactic fermentation.
This Chardonnay from our Estate Thompson Vineyard yields beautiful notes of lemon zest, asian pears, and fresh cut pineapple. It has a round supple mouthfeel and finishes clean with bright acidity that can elevate a wide variety of cuisine.
Estate Viognier
Dovecote Estate Viognier is produced from our single-acre vineyard planted on rocky alluvial soil in 1998 within a relatively cool area of the Los Olivos District AVA. Today we lovingly hand-farm it without any machinery or power equipment.
When we acquired the vineyard in 2014, it had been ignored for years by its prior owners who had lost interest in the finicky tedium of viticulture. We believed in the potential of the site which lies in a narrow valley that permits enough warmth to ripen the fruit slowly and retain acidity, while also limiting harsh sun exposure that can mute Viognier’s beautiful aromatics.
Over the next three years we worked to revive the spirit of our Quail Valley Vineyard, and in 2017 it rewarded us with our first vintage of perfect fruit, with successive vintages equally enjoyable.
Our Estate Viognier is made in a fresh, acid-driven style inspired by the classic Northern Rhone whites. It is sensually expressive and perfumed, yet gracefully sculpted by a skeleton of minerality and delicate floral aromatics. On the table, it serves as a wonderful companion to rich flavors and spiced dishes. Dovecote Viognier is fermented in stainless steel with no secondary fermentation. It is bottled fresh and ready to enjoy over the next 5-7 years.
