{"product_id":"2019-old-westminister-wine-x-piquette-take-it-easy-rose","title":"2019 Old Westminister Wine x Piquette 'Take it Easy' Rosé","description":"\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan\u003eRegion: Maryland \u0026lt; USA\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan\u003eGrapes: Chambourcin rosé, piquette blanc, piquette rouge\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan\u003eVineyard\/Cellar Stats: Organic farming; bottled without fining or \u003c\/span\u003efiltering with minimal (if any) added So2; 12% ABV\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan\u003eWinemaker: Lisa Hinton\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan\u003eWe're big fans of Maryland's Old Westminister Winery, run by three\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cspan\u003esiblings.  Drew Baker, the vineyard manager, explains the origin \u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan\u003estory: \"In 2009, family discussions began on how to preserve our farm \u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan\u003eand put the land to work. We were abducted by the idea of planting a \u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan\u003evineyard. We all agreed that growing and making wine that reflects our \u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan\u003eland through a vineyard was an exciting proposition.\" So, they \u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan\u003eresearched, traveled, tasted and consulted, and made it happen by \u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan\u003e2011, when they planted their first vineyards.  Their first vintage \u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan\u003ewas 2013, and now they produce 30,000 bottles total, with everything \u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan\u003edone by hand, grown in Maryland and farmed organically.  Middle sis \u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan\u003eLisa, a chemist by training, started making the wine for her family's \u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan\u003eproject when she was just 23!\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan\u003eThey make both traditional wine and a style called piquette, which is \u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan\u003ea low-alcohol wine made from the second pressings of grape pomace. \u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan\u003eDerived from the French word for “prick” or “prickle,” which describes \u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan\u003ethe drink’s slight fizz, piquette dates back to ancient Greek and \u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan\u003eRoman times, when it was known as \"lora\". Given that it was a \u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan\u003echeap-to-produce drink made from the scraps of winemaking, it was \u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan\u003egiven to slaves and field workers.  Fast forward to today, when \u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan\u003epiquette is often the preferred drink of vineyard workers at the lunch \u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan\u003etable, as its low alcohol encouraged post-lunch productivity rather \u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan\u003ethan that booze-fueled stupor.  While the style is tied closely with \u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan\u003eFrance, nearly all Euro winemaking countries have their own version of \u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan\u003epiquette, usually made and consumed by field workers and their \u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan\u003efamilies.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan\u003eWe're loving piquette not only for its low ABV, refreshing qualities \u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan\u003ebut also because it's super eco-friendly - after all, this is \u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan\u003eliterally wine made from the scraps.  Nothing wasted!   This pretty \u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan\u003ecoral colored elixir is a unique co-ferment of both traditional rosé \u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan\u003ewine (here from the rarely-seen Chambourcin grape, a French-American \u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan\u003ehybrid only found on the East Coast) blended with piquette blanc AND \u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan\u003epiquette rouge. FUN FACT: Chambourcin is a teinturier, a grape whose \u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan\u003ejuice is pink or red rather than clear.  With most wines, the color \u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan\u003ecomes from the skins, not the juice itself. \u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan\u003eSo the pretty Take it Easy is a unicorn in many respects!  A very \u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan\u003edelicious one, tasting like a cranberry sea breeze cocktail with that \u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan\u003ebitter grapefruit element, plus tart gooseberry and something soft and \u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan\u003etropical, mango maybe, with an herbal garnish. It's soft, with gentle \u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan\u003eacidity, and so easy to drink it could seriously pass for juice.  Hide \u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan\u003eit from your kids.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"Rock Juice Inc","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":67774334370071,"sku":"oim1792015414589","price":16.17,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/1007\/6690\/8695\/files\/2019-old-westminister-wine-x-piquette-take-it-easy-rose_1.jpg?v=1792015424","url":"https:\/\/debclubcladfit.shop\/products\/2019-old-westminister-wine-x-piquette-take-it-easy-rose","provider":"My Store","version":"1.0","type":"link"}