Stephen Ross Wine Cellars
San Luis Obispo, California, USA
Stephen Ross Dooley is the founder, winemaker and, along with his wife, Paula, the owner of Stephen Ross Wine Cellars. Stephen started the winery in 1994 in San Luis Obispo, California where he and his crew also make the Flying Cloud line of wines. Steve is a UC Davis Enology graduate with extensive winemaking experience gained in 10 years spent at Napa Valley’s Louis Martini Winery and seven years at the Chalone Wine Group’s eponymous Edna Valley Vineyard. In his early years, Stephen also served winemaking stints in Australia and South Africa. His passion for winemaking began as a teen in the basement of his mother’s house in the Minnesota River valley, fermenting all kinds of fruit. Decades later, his passion for the artistry, science and focus required for premium grape growing and winemaking continues. Along with his own estate fruit, his commitment to sourcing the best fruit and making the best wines possible never wanes and has established him as an icon on California’s Central Coast.
Our Selections
Stephen Ross Chardonnay Edna Valley 2023
The Edna Valley is located on the South Central Coast of California next to the town of San Luis Obispo and roughly five miles from the Pacific Ocean. The valley spans in a northwest-southeast orientation, open to the Pacific to the West. It lies in Southern California at 34 degrees latitude and receives an abundance of light from a “directly overhead” sun. The climate is strongly influenced by the regular summertime afternoon sea breeze, coming from the Pacific. This is a unique climate of cool air temperature and intense sunlight. Classic Burgundian winemaking methods were used in making this wine; barrel fermentation, malolactic fermentation, lees stirring, and sur lie aging for nine months in French oak barrels. Grapes were whole cluster pressed in a membrane press, juice chilled and settled overnight before being put into barrel to ferment.
Grapes were harvested from Greengate (61%), Davenport Creek (25%), and Bee Sweet (12%) vineyards during the second half of October 2023. The wine was 83% barrel fermented, 17% tank fermented and 100% malolactic fermentation. 14% new Tonnellerie Sirugue French oak barrels, 86% one to three times filled French oak barrels.
Youthful straw color with aromas of Fuji apple, nutmeg, Asian pear, baking spices, French baguette crust; enticing, engaging and alluring. Silky texture, seamless, refreshing light acidity, stone fruit and wet stone flavors, a lingering finish. An elegant and balanced wine with a pure expression of Edna Valley Chardonnay.
Alc. 13.6% Vol. / 3.46 pH / 5.78 g/L Total Acidity
Stephen Ross Pinot Noir San Luis Obispo Coast 2023
Ross produced his first San Luis Obispo County Pinot Noir in 2018. This wine carries the newly approved San Luis Obispo Coast appellation designation and is the third vintage to carry the recently approved AVA.
Grapes were harvested between the end of September and first week of October from Stone Corral Vineyard (53%), Greengate Vineyard (28%), Matthew’s Vineyard (16%), and Blind Faith Vineyard (3%).
The wine is comprised of 32% foot-trodden whole clusters, 68% de-stemmed clusters fermented in 4.5-ton, open top refrigerated tanks fermented with natural yeasts and naturally occurring malolactic bacteria. Aging occurs in 24% new French oak barrels, and 76% one to four-year-old French oak barrels. Bottled unfined and unfiltered.
Pretty cherry red color, transparent and clear. Dried rose petals, botanical note from the stems, cranberry, and clove. Bright palate, firm acidity from the cool growing season, flavors of black cherry, fine tannins from the whole cluster fermentation, lingering finish.
Alc. 13.5% Vol. / 3.73 pH / 6.37 g/L Total Acidity
Stephen Ross Pinot Noir Edna Valley Estate 2021
Stone Corral Vineyard is Ross’s Estate vineyard, which was planted in 2001. The vineyard is planted exclusively to several Pinot Noir clones and rootstocks covering a rolling southeast facing hillside in the Edna Valley. The Edna Valley is located in the South Central Coast of California a few miles southeast of the town of San Luis Obispo. The climate is strongly influenced by regular summertime afternoon cool breezes from the ocean.
The 2021 Vintage was, in a word, epic. The growing season started with a very dry winter, only 11 inches of rain and most of the rain came during a late January four-day rainstorm dropping 7 inches of water. In general, the growing season was cool. Apart from one warm day on June 16 when the temperature rose to 105 degrees F, there was no other heat spikes during this year. The mild temperatures continued through harvest in September and October, which opened the stretch of time for picking at optimal maturity. This was a late harvest with long hang time yielding wines with concentrated flavors and good acidity.
100% De-stemmed into 4.5-ton open-top refrigerated tanks. Cultured yeast and naturally occuring malolactic bacteria used for fermentation. The wine is aged in 40% new French oak barrels, 60% one to three-year-old French oak barrels and bottled unfined and unfiltered.
Brilliant, ruby red color with aromas of cherry, dried rose petals with notes of nutmeg from the French oak. Bright mouth, fine tannins, lively acidity and flavors of small red berries, Earl Grey tea, anise and forest floor.
Alc. 13.5% Vol. / 3.57 pH / 6.11 g/L Total Acidity