Freeman Winery

Yu-ki Estate Brut Rosé

Ken and Akiko bought the land for Yu-ki Estate in 2007 and planted our favorite heritage, Dijon and Swiss clones of Pinot Noir there. It is located only five miles from the Pacific Ocean, 1,000 feet in elevation, above the town of Occidental. The vineyard is named after Akiko’s nephew, Yu-ki.

Yu-ki is planted almost entirely to Pinot Noir. After the first few vintages, we noticed how the block of Dijon clone 828 at the western edge of Yu-ki ripened so much slower than all the other clones. The idea of turning this section into grapes dedicated to sparkling wine production was born. Half of the 828 was budded over to Chardonnay for our Blanc de Blancs sparkling wine while the rest of the 828 would become our Brut Rosé.

The winemaking for our Yu-ki Estate Brut Rosé is entirely based on the méthode Champenoise, which is the way Champagne is traditionally made in France. In order to make a base wine with a lower alcohol, higher acidity and less varietal character, we pick the Pinot Noir for the Brut Rosé a few weeks earlier than the rest of our Pinot. These 17 to 18 brix grapes are put directly into the press and are gently squeezed. We then barrel ferment the juice, just like we do our Chardonnay. This rosé goes through malolactic fermentation after the primary is finished, and it ages in the barrel for 9 months, right up until bottling.

The second fermentation with the méthode Champenoise occurs in each bottle, to which a yeast culture has been added. This fermentation adds all of the bubbles to a sparkling wine, which are captured in the bottle. After the yeast complete this step in the process, they rest in the bottle and provide the fresh dough and toasty aromas to the wine. The yeast are removed at the disgorgement, the final step in this traditional method of producing sparkling wine.

Our 2021 Yu-ki Estate Brut Rosé has a pale salmon color and displays a non-stop stream of bubbles. The nose is enticing with scents of freshly-baked brioche, roasted hazelnuts and wet stones. On the palate, the refreshing acidity is the main focus along with fresh, fruity and savory flavors that hint at Pinot Noir grapes and fresh pizza dough. This rosé goes with a wide variety of dishes and should be enjoyed from 2025 through 2032.