It’s all I
asked for as a Mother’s Day gift. It’s
all I wanted. I longed for a unique
experience. I desired what I had seen
elsewhere. I wanted—I needed—fifty
shades of…rosé!
In my
travels the past year, I’ve been collecting bottles for this rosé
extravaganza. I purchased bottles from
Texas and Oregon, found examples from Sonoma to Chile.
I’ve
already started my tasting of these beautiful bottles, in shades of
barely-there to deep-dark pink. Here is
my list of rosés I will be drinking this summer. Many price points are represented, as are
many styles. However, all are worth a
sip on a summer patio.
Enjoy these
fifty shades of rosé, in no particular order…oh wait, they are in an order—from
light to dark. No judgements here, just
good wines for the warm weather.
Rosé of Pinot Noir—Sokol Blosser, Willamette Valley: barely-there pink from Willamette Valley
pinot noir grapes makes this the prettiest sip of the year.
Tatum Rosé—William Chris, Texas Hill Country: what a beautiful baby-pink color this bottle
is. Named for the assistant winemaker’s
daughter, Tatum, from grenache and mourvedre grapes.
Rosé of Pinot Noir—Cartograph Wines, North Coast: just a shade darker here, this pinot noir
pink is produced in Sonoma County and longs for a Sonoma summer evening.
Cabernet Sauvignon Rosé—LaPlaya, Colchagua Valley: this pink is given an undertone of orange
from the cabernet grape. Add in the
small amount of viognier, and this Chilean wine stands out.
Pinot Noir Rosé—Ponzi Vineyards, Willamette Valley: moving to a gorgeous salmon color, this pink
is made from Oregon’s premier region’s premier grape.
Dry Rosé of Pinot Noir—Toad Hollow, Sonoma County: a darker Sonoma County example, the Toad Hollow tasted was 2014, but look for the newest vintage to enjoy this season.
Pinot Noir Rosé—Firesteed Cellars, Willamette Valley: still a deep salmon, Firesteed’s rosé of
pinot noir is another example of what this state can do with its favorite
grape.
P
Roséo—Penner Ash, Oregon:
this wine moves to the fuchsia shade with pinot noir grapes sourced from
Oregon and produced in Penner Ash’s beautiful Willamette Valley facility.
Texas Dry Rosè—Pedernales Cellars, Texas Hill Country: the deepest shade of fuchsia—almost red—this
is a blend of Texas grapes produced in the picturesque Texas Hill Country.
Use this
list to begin your summer experimentation...with fifty shades of rosé. They will not disappoint!
