Academy du Rhône Wine - Washington D.C. Edition

"Vinsobres or sober wine, drink it soberly".. Monseigneur Joseph Marie de Suarès (Bishop of Vaison-La-Romaine) in1633

The Rhône Valley is a diverse and complex wine region that I've been slowly trying to comprehend. In 2023 I started with a Côtes du Rhône Online Wine Academy course in April and attended the Academy du Rhône Wine this month in Washington D.C. The Academy was hosted by Master Sommelier David Keck and showcased 18 wines from various appellations within the Rhône Valley all the while discussing the grapes and terrior within each region. The Rhône Valley is located in southeast France between Lyon and Marseille and is sub-divided into Northern and Southern regions. Southern Rhône is sandwiched between Provence to the east and Languedoc-Roussillon to the west and is known for its Grenache, Syrah, and Mourvèdre (GSM) blends. On the other hand, Syrah is the champion of the Northern Rhône with  Marsanne, Roussanne and Viognier its white counterparts. Overall, the Rhône Valley accounts for 9% of all French vineyards and ranks 2nd by volume for all French AOC wine regions.

The Rhône Valley's wine history is quite fascinating and starts three hundred million years ago as the Massif Central clashed with the Alps creating the valley and then flooding from the Mediterranean populated the valley’s soils with four different types of rock: granite, sandy silica, limestone and clay. This created conditions for the Greeks & Romans to apply viticulture which continued through the Avignon Popes up to the 1930's when Baron Le Roy championed the creation of the Appellation d’Origine Contrôlée system. The Rhône Valley was granted AOC status in 1933. Read more of the Rhône Valley's entire history at the Vins Rhône website. 

In brief, there are 34 different grape varieties planted in the Rhône Valley and red wines account for 76% of production, rosé 13%, and whites 11%. The diverse landscape consists of five major soil types: clay, stony, limestone, granitic, and sandy soils. Again see Vins Rhône for a more detailed presentation. There are 31 appellations grouped within two major areas: Côtes du Rhône AOCs and Rhône Valley AOCs. The Côtes du Rhône AOC accounts for 75% of the overall production in the Rhône Valley and itself consists of a hierarchy starting with the  Côtes du Rhône Crus,  Côtes du Rhône Villages with a geographic name,  Côtes du Rhône Villages, and  Côtes du Rhône. Red wine accounts for 86% of overall Côtes du Rhône production,  rosé 8%, and whites 6%. The Rhône Valley AOCs are more prevalent in the Southern Rhône and are distributed in a wider area from the Rhone River. 

Whereas most of the 18 wines we sampled were from the Côtes du Rhône there were a handful from Rhône Valley AOCs with one I especially enjoyed, the M. Chapoutier La Ciboise Luberon 2022. This wine is a blend of Grenache Blanc, Roussanne, Ugni Blanc and Vermentino from the Luberon AOC. The vineyards for this appellation and high in elevation and surround the Luberon Natural Regional Park, part of UNESCO’s World Network of Biosphere Reserves. Luberon is dominated by small farmers and cooperatives and this region is one of France's sunniest with 320 sunny days each year. It also straddles Provence so the wines closely resemble that style in the sense of easy-drinking and value. This La Ciboise is a fresh and lively wine, yet creamy and structured, with noticeable citrus and stone fruit. 

Turning to the Côtes du Rhône, I want to focus on two wines from the tasting starting with the Southern Rhône Chateau de Rouanne 2020 AOC Vinsobres. The Vinsobres Crus commune has a long history of viticulture and the name is derived from "Vinzobrio, the oldest recorded version of the village name, dating back to 1137; this in turn is thought to derive from the pre-Celtic Vintio, meaning height, and the Celtic suffix briga (mountain)". It is one of the most northernly southern communes and thus shares many notable northern characteristics such as exposure to the mistral winds and a stronger reliance on Syrah. The vineyards are at high elevations and the vines are planted in very stony, red to brown soils where their warmth allows the vines to ripen early. This wine is a GSM blend of 50% Grenache, 40% Syrah and 10% Mourvèdre  where whole clusters were vinified and aged in concrete vats using native yeasts. This is an elegant and complex wine, with juicy dark fruit, black pepper and earth, and silky tannins.  As the quote relates above, this is a sober (and serious) wine. 

Returning to the beginning of the session, the first flight featured wines from the AOC Côtes du Rhône. The entire appellation stretches from Vienne to Avignon and includes 171 communes across six departments: Ardèche, Drôme, Gard, Loire, Rhône and Vaucluse), covering an area of around 30,000 hectares. The climate is Mediterranean, refreshed by the cleansing and cooling Mistral wind. Summers are hot and dry, with occasional violent storms. Rainfall is low, and snow is rare.  One of my favorites of the initial flight was the Domaine de l'Odylée. La Talentuese 2020 -- a certified organic blend of Grenache and Syrah.  The wine ages 14 months in oak barrels and demi-muids which contributes to a it's depth and complexity. There's a slight earthiness and  herbaciousness on the nose followed by plums and raspberries and a spicy and firm finish. 

Hopefully I will have more content to post n this tasting and further exploration of the Rhône Valley.

Lodi Wine: The Unique, Unusual, and Unconventional

During our Snooth - Lodi Wine trip there were dozens of wonderful wines that we sampled that could keep us writing for months. But in order to conclude this Lodi Wine series, this post will focus on several wines worth mentioning - emphasizing wines made from unconventional grapes or a unique Lodi heritage.   Note also that most of the information regarding the grape varieties come from wine-searcher.com.

Reds

St. Amant Winery 2017 Lodi Barbera ($18)
Barbera is a dark-skinned wine grape variety found in several Italian wine regions, including its native Piedmont, Emilia-Romagna, Puglia, Campania and even the island regions, Sicily and Sardinia. At the turn of the 21st Century, it was Italy's third most-commonly planted red wine grape, after Sangiovese and Montepulciano. In Lodi, Barbera thrives in its Mediterranean like climate and this wine derives from a 57-year-old vineyard. It's also one I brought home afterward.

Bokisch Vineyards Las Cerezas Vineyard Graciano 2016 ($28)
Graciano is a black-skinned wine grape from northern Spain, grown principally in Navarra and Rioja with the classic Graciano wine is moderately tannic, deeply colored and intensely perfumed, with aromas of mulberry, violets, and chocolate. Bokisch Vineyards is the leading producer of Spanish styled wine in Lodi as founder Markus Bokisch's family history is centered upon Catalonia, Spain. This wine nails the chocolate descriptor and is noted for its long silky smooth finish.

Anaya Vineyards 2016 Clements Hills Nebbiolo
Nebbiolo is the quintessential Piedmontese wine grape – the dominant variety in five of the region's DOCGs and numerous DOCs, the most notable of which are Barolo and Barbaresco. Nebbiolo wines are distinguished by their strong tannins, high acidity, and distinctive scent. Anaya is a new Lodi winery located in the Clements Hills AVA that has been growing grapes for over a decade and is now venturing into producing their own label. Besides the intense tannins and acidity, this wine is very drinkable now but these characters will allow it to age wonderfully.

Fields Family Winery 2011 Tempranillo ($28)
Tempranillo is a red grape variety which forms the backbone of some of the finest wines from Spain and Portugal. Almost every red wine from Rioja and Ribera del Duero has Tempranillo at its core, and in Portugal, the variety is widely used in the Douro Valley – under the name Tinta Roriz – both for table wines and fortified wines (Port). It is a thick-skinned red grape making deeply-colored wines with moderate tannins. The grapes for the Fields Family Tempranillo are from the Estate Vineyard Lot 13 which was planted in 1915 and is the first Tempranillo vineyard planted in Lodi. These vines' roots run deep - sometimes over 25 feet in the sandy loam within the Mokelumne River AVA. This wine explodes in the mouth, like poprocks, juicy, then structured and a pleasant finish.

McCay Cellars 2015 Grenache ($35)
Grenache (Garnacha) is a red-wine grape grown extensively in France, Spain, Australia, and the United States. It is particularly versatile both in the vineyard and the winery, which may explain why it is one of the most widely distributed grapes in the world. I believe the fruit for this wine comes from the Abba Vineyard in the Mokelumne River AVA and it is fresh and clean, fruit forward and excellent with the MSushi Tuna tartare.

Mettler Family Vineyards 2015 GSM ($35)
"A beautiful blend of three Rhone varietals: Grenache, Syrah, Mourvedre. All three of these varietals trace back to the Mediterranean coast and thrive in the Lodi climate. They blend poetically together, each bringing a different flavor profile. Grenache adds a fresh raspberry flavor. The Syrah brings savory dark fruit flavors and a velvety mouth-feel. Mourvedre adds a nice tannin structure and herbaceous aromas. "

Klinker Brick Winery 2015 Lodi Carignane ($25)
Carignan or Carignane (Cariñena in Spain) is a black-skinned wine grape variety, most likely native to Aragon. The variety is found in wines along the Mediterranean coast, particularly in northeastern Spain and in France's Languedoc-Roussillon region. It is used most commonly for blending with many of the region's other key varieties – most famously Grenache, Syrah, and Mourvedre. The grape prefers warm, dry climates when the grape can express high tannins, acid, and color. The Klinker brick Carignane is produced from a 108-year-old, single vineyard block that winemaker Joseph Smith notes that the gripping tannins accentuate the soft cherry and.earthy aspect of the wine.

LangeTwins Winery 2015 Lodi Montepulciano
Montepulciano is a red wine grape variety grown widely in central Italy, most notably its eastern Abruzzo, Marche, and Molise regions. The grape was named after the Tuscan parish of Montepulciano, but, is not used in the famous wines produced there --Sangiovese is instead. Globally appreciated for their soft flavors, strong color, and gentle tannins, Montepulciano wines are typically best consumed in their youth and with food. In Lodi, LangeTwins specializes in Italian styled wines and this one is fruit forward with enough texture, tannins, and acids to lift the fruit to the finish.

Peltier Winery Schatz Family 2011 Reserve Teroldego ($60) & LangeTwins Winery Single Barrel 2013 The Eighth Vineyard Teroldego. Teroldego is a deeply colored red wine grape grown mostly in the Trentino wine region of northern Italy where it produces deeply pigmented red wines with an intensely fruity character. The wineries have already aged these wines for you so expect a structured wine with more approachable tannins than when younger.

Markus Wine Co. 2016 Zeitlos ($39.00)
This is a Syrah-dominated blend from Borra Vineyards where the Gill Creek Ranch was responsible for 76% Syrah Clone 877 & 4% Viognier and the Church Block 12% Carignane & 8% Petite Sirah. "Petite" here refers to the small, intensely colored berries that make Petite Sirah such a distinctive grape variety. And the high tannins and acidity present in Petite Sirah make it an excellent candidate for aging. This Zeitlos is a luscious wine, structured, strong fruit, and biting tannins.

Mettler Family Vineyards 2016 Pinotage ($24.99)
Pinotage is South Africa's signature grape variety and is a crossing of Pinot Noir and Cinsaut -- bred by scientist Abraham Perold in 1925. It is grown almost exclusively in South Africa, making everything from low-quality table wines to rich, concentrated wines with flavors of black and red fruits, spice, leather, and chocolate. This wine is juicy with earthiness and a lush and fresh finish.

PRIE Vineyards 2017 Lodi Mencia ($33)
Mencia is a red-wine grape native to the northwest of Spain. It is most commonly associated with the red wines of Bierzo. Mencia wines tend to exhibit earthy, vegetal characters with berry nuances and stony minerality. The very first California harvest of the grape was at Silvaspoons Vineyard, Lodi and is the source for this wine.

Heritage Oak Winery 2014 Charbono ($28)
Charbono (Bonarda) is a widely traveled red-wine grape variety with a complicated history. Originally from the alpine vineyards of Savoie in eastern France, it is now mostly planted in Napa Valley, where it is known as Charbono, and in Argentina, where it goes by the name Bonarda. The variety's wines are generally medium bodied with high acidity and berry fruit aromas and some smoky characteristics. This Charbono is a lovely representation of the grape.

Whites

Oak Farm Vineyards 2017 Estate Fiano ($25)
Fiano is a high-quality, white-wine grape variety used widely in southern Italy, particularly in Campania and the Fiano di Avellino DOCG. Used mainly as a varietal wine, Fiano is nutty and textured with floral and honeyed notes, spice and tropical fruit flavors like pineapple. In Lodi, Fiano was particularly special to the owners (Panella Family) Oak Farm Vineyards because the grape and they originated in the same province in Italy.

Heritage Oak Winery 2018 Chenin Blanc ($18)
Chenin Blanc is a versatile white-wine grape variety that has been cultivated in France for nearly 1300 years. It is most commonly associated with France's Loire Valley, and its high acidity levels mean it can be vinified in a number of different styles: as lusciously sweet, botrytis-affected dessert wines, light, honeyed sparkling wines and as full-bodied, still white wines. The Heritage Oak pairs excellently with the MSushi seared Hawaiian amberjack as the lemon and pear fruit and fresh acids filet into the fish.

Klinker Brick Winery 2018 Lodi - Mokelumne River Grenache Blanc ($18)
Grenache Blanc (Garnacha Blanca in Spain) is the light-skinned mutation of Grenache Noir. Although it is native to northern Spain, Grenache Blanc is best known for its role in southern French white wines and in particular as a member of the Chateauneuf-du-Pape blend.  Paired with MSushi oysters, the shellfishes' saline character blends with the citrus and light pear flavors of the Grenache Blanc.

Acquiesce Winery & Vineyards Lodi Mokelumne River 2018 Clairette Blanche ($28)
Clairette is a light-colored grape variety that grows throughout southern France. This Acquiesce wine follows the Lodi Rules certification for sustainable winegrowing and the one-acre lot was planted with Tablas Creek (Paso Roble) cuttings from the famous French Château de Beaucastel Winery in the Châteauneuf-du-Pape region. This wine is a light, refreshing, and an easy sipper.

Acquiesce Winery & Vineyards Lodi Mokelumne River 2018 Picpoul Blanc ($28)
Picpoul (also known as Piquepoul) is an ancient white-wine grape variety of the traditional and prolific Languedoc-Roussillon region in southern France. The name Pique-poul translates literally as "stings the lip", and is a reference to the grape's mouthwateringly high acidity. This Acquiesce wine also follows the Lodi Rules certification for sustainable winegrowing and the 1.3 acres are planted with Tablas Creek cuttings from the famous French Château de Beaucastel Winery in the Châteauneuf-du-Pape region. This is one refreshing wine, playful throughout.

Bokisch Vineyards Clay Station Vineyard Verdejo 2018 ($20)
Verdejo is the aromatic grape variety behind the crisp white wines of Rueda in central Spain. Full-bodied Verdejo wines are held in high regard, displaying herbaceous, nutty characters with balanced acidity and some cellaring potential. Once again Bokisch excels with this Spanish wine which features creamy pears and a zesty finish.

Ironstone Vineyards 2017 Obsession Symphony ($14)
Symphony is a Californian crossing of Muscat of Alexandria and Grenache Gris developed in 1948 (but not commercially released until 1982) by the late Harold Olmo, professor of viticulture at the University of California, Davis. As its pedigree suggests, it is an aromatic variety with slightly spicy flavors.  This version is highly aromatic with a fresh and spicy finale.

Andrea Freeborough Showcases South Africa's Nederburg Winery

The international wine market contains an overabundance of affordable value wines with Wines of South Africa (WOSA) strongly situated in that category. And one of the most awarded and innovative wineries within the WOSA is Nederburg, continuously operating since 1791.  Last week the current Cellar Master of Nederburg, Andrea Freeborough, visited the DC area to share the history of the winery as well as a few wines in their portfolio that honor this rich history of 200 years of winemaking.

Philippus Wolvaart, a German immigrant, purchased the beginnings of the estate in 1791, named it after his Commissioner-General, Sebastian Nederburgh, and soon planted wine grapes. The estate is located in the Paarl region that soon would become the heart of the South African wine industry until the focus shifted southwards to Stellenbosch in the later 20th century. According to Gavin Hubble, The Wine Guy, Paarl's "climate is very similar to the Rhône Valley in France, with moderate warm summers cooled by Atlantic breezes towards harvest season".

Over the years Nederburg changed owners but the real innovations started in 1937 when Johann Graue purchased the winery. He introduced cold soaking and other vineyard, cellar, and blending innovations which continued though legendary winemaker Gunter Brozel and continues to the present with Freeborough and her team of five winemakers.

During our lunch at Hank's Oyster Bar, Freeborough shared five wines that were not only delicious but excellent monetary values.  The grapes for these wines were sourced from the best vineyards in Paarl as well as throughout South Africa. Whereas Germany is the winery's largest export market, Andrea hopes this trip moves the United State's closer to that threshold. Cheers.

The Winemasters 2016 Chenin Blanc ($12, 13.5%). This is the latest wine in portfolio with the fruit sourced from cool climate vineyards. It provides very strong aromatics and acidity at the nose and the tail with a great mouthfeel in between. Thank 6 months on lees for that sensation. Great value.

The Young Air Hawk 2016 Wooded Sauvignon Blanc ($21, 14%). This wine pays tribute to Johann Graue’s son, Arnold who died tragically at 29 in a light aircraft crash but not before he had introduced many technical innovations at Nederburg. The grapes were sourced from selected cool climate vineyards in Elgin, Darling and Cape Agulhas, fermented in oak, and spent six months on their lees. The wine is very fresh, much fresher than you would think based on the winemaking techniques. Plenty of lemon aromas and flavors, mouthfeel, and finishing with abundant acids.

The Anchorman 2015 Wooded Chenin Blanc ($21, 13%). This wine celebrates Nederburg’s founder Philippus Wolvaart and is a blend of Chenin Blanc (85%) and Grenache Blanc (15%). The Chenin grapes were harvested from old, low yielding, dry land bush vines in Wellington and Darling, while the Grenache Blanc grapes were harvested from trellised vines in Franschhoek. Separate batches of the fruit were fermented in various vessels with a portion fermented using carbonic maceration -- where whole bunches are allowed to ferment spontaneously without being crushed or pressed. And after malolactic fermentation, the various components were kept on the lees for 9 months prior to final blending. What a complex process, but the result is well worth the effort. The wine starts with a strong floral and fruit aroma, layered depth, and a long length. Fantastic.

The Winemasters 2014 Pinotage ($12, 14.5%).  The grapes were harvested from the Western Cape and after fermentation aged 12 months in various oak vessels including French, American and Romanian oak barrels. I loved this wine with it's subdued smokiness, balanced cherry fruit, and subdued acids and tannins. $12, really? That's it. 

2014 The Brew Master ($22, 13.5%). This is a Bordeaux blend (Cabernet Sauvignon (51%), Petit Verdot (33%), Merlot (6%), Cabernet Franc (5%) and Malbec (5%) named in honor of Johann Graue who was also the co-owner of a German brewery before moving to South Africa. The grapes were fermented and aged separately in various French oak casks for two years. The blended wine is velvety smooth with juicy dark fruit and noticeable acids and tannins suitable for aging. Savory....

Snooth Presents a Lodi Virtual Wine Tasting

 On the heals of a very successful 2016 Wine Bloggers Conference hosted by Lodi Winegrape Commission, Snooth continued the Lodi momentum by hosting a virtual tasting of four Lodi wines. For a recap,  once synonymous with old vine Zinfandel, the Lodi AVA currently grows over 100 different grape varieties and was named Wine Enthusiast's 2015 "Wine Region of the Year".  The region is located between the San Francisco Bay and the Sierra Nevada Mountains and is known for it's hot dry days and an evening breeze that commences on schedule every evening providing a noticeable diurnal shift in temperature. Perfect for retaining grape acidity. Lodi is home to approximately 65 wineries -- many multi-generational family operations.  During the Snooth virtual tasting Master Sommelier/Snoother Tim Gaiser interviewed Stuart Spencer, Program Manager, Lodi Winegrape Commission & Owner/Winemaker, St. Amant Winery, and Michael McCay, Vineyard Manager and Owner/Winemaker, McCay Cellars to discuses the diversity of the region through these four wines.

Acquiesce Winery & Vineyards 2015 Belle Blanc Lodi White Blend  ($26) - (45% Grenache Blanc, 45% Roussanne, 10% Viognier). Acquiesce Winery is Lodi’s only dedicated white wine winery. This wine is made in the classic Châteauneuf-du-Pape Southern Rhône style from cuttings acquired through Tablas Creek Vineyard (originally from Château de Beaucastel Winery). The wine is simple floral, savory, stone fruit, light citrus, long fresh finish. Perhaps not that simple.

McCay Cellars 2013 Lodi Grenache ($35). I devoured this wine during the WBC16 winemaker dinner.   It is lighter bodied, with red cherry flavors and an herbal center; finishes with killer acid. A fantastic wine.

LangeTwins Winery & Vineyards 2014 Lodi Nero d’Avola ($20). Another #WBC16 favorite from during the speed tasting, this 5th generation farm family shows more Lodi diversity by growing grapes normally found in Sicily. The wine is very bright and fresh with dark cherries, mint, and a very smooth finish.  This is your afternoon table wine.

Klinker Brick Winery 2013 Lodi Farrah Syrah ($20). This wine spent 15 months in French oak providing a chalky, spicy, and smoky character. The wine finishes with very structured tannins. Nicely done and at this price, quite the value.

A Quick Visit to Temecula Valley Wine Country

During our craft beer centric stay in San Diego, we did allocate one afternoon to visit wine country - choosing Temecula Valley or Southern California's Wine Country as they refer to themselves. This wine region is located 90 minutes south of Los Angeles and 60 minutes north of San Diego off I-15. The community boasts 35 wineries - all situated due east of Old Town Temecula - and grows over 50 grape varieties. The first modern winery, Callaway Vineyard & Winery, opened in 1974 and the region gained its AVA designation in 2004. The landscape is very scenic, dry rolling hills interspersed with lush green vineyards. And the wineries are tightly packed making a wine excursion quite simple to navigate. And as always, theCompass Winery, Brewery, Distillery Locator Mobile App helps.

Our first stop was at South Coast Winery, prehaps the most prolific producer in the region. The winery was established in 2003 and since then has been awarded the Best California State Winery four times (2016 the latest). Besides the extravagant facility - it includes a resort and spa - they produce wine from at least 20 grape varieties including many Rhone such as Grenache Blanc, Viognier, Roussanne. These three are blended into a delicious GVR and also bottled as 100% varietals. Excellent wines. Another tasty white was the 2015 California Verdelho, with its lemon profile, velvety texture, and fresh acids; it reminded of the new Nationals star Trea Turner - light and speedy, but possesses surprising power. As for reds you can remain in Portugal with a solid Touriga, move to Bordeaux with several offerings or return to the Rhone with my favorite, their 2014 Grenache or 2014 Mourvedre both $18. Great values for two delicious wines. South Coast also includes a nice portfolio of sparkling wines so as you can see from the range of offerings, a must visit.

The next stop was to Falkner Winery, primarily because they had answered a tweet I had posted on suggestions. The winery is much smaller, but includes a restaurant, and provides a grand view of the surrounding countryside. The winery opened in 2000 and specializes in a smaller portfolio of Chardonnay, Cabernet Sauvignon, Riesling, Sauvignon Blanc, Syrah, Merlot, a Meritage, and the "Amante" Tuscan proprietary blend. Prices are much higher than at South Coast, most likely from smaller volumes. The "Amante" ($55) is a big Super Tuscan plenty of leather, tobacco, and fruit. Their off-dry 2015 Risqué Riesling was a group favorite and the wine we enjoyed while studying the scenery on their deck.

Our last stop was Wilson Creek Winery & Vineyard because our hosts wanted us to sample their specialty Almond Sparkling Wine and chocolate. The Wilson family opened this winery in 1998 and currently run a large operation. This was the most populated of the three with a small wait at the tasting bar. The most interesting wine was the 2014 Variant Series White Cabernet ($26), which was both fully textured and lively. For reds, Syrah and Petite Sirah were the leaders particularly the 2012 Family Reserve Petite Sirah ($65). Pricey yes, but also big and bad. They also provide a range of low cost sparkling wines like the Almond which seemed rather popular. Take a glass and walk down to the shallow creek and try to find the crawfish.

#WineStudio Presents Sonoma’s Rosé Revolution

After a soggy May it was time to pivot to summer with June's #WineStudio Session 35: Sonoma's Rosé Revolution. And indeed the revolution has spread throughout the valley and across multiple grape varieties.Wineries are using the two traditional methods for producing rosé, either gently pressing the grapes as in Provence or using the saignée or bleed from red wine production. This session featured four Sonoma wines: Passaggio Wines 2015 Rosé Merlot Sonoma;  Ellipsis Wine Company 2015 Rosé of Pinot Meunier Sonoma County;  Pedroncelli Winery 2015 Dry Rosé of Zinfandel Dry Creek Valley; and Angels & Cowboys 2015 Rosé Sonoma County (Grenache Rouge, Merlot, Petit Verdot and Grenache Blanc). I received a sample of the last two with notes below. Cheers.

2015 Pedroncelli Winery Dry Rosé of Zinfandel Dry Creek Valley ($12). The grapes are harvested from prime Dry Creek Valley fruit, the Pedroncelli estate as well as Buchnignani vineyard. This rosé is made by combining both popular methods, the free run juice from early picked grapes (60% of the blend) and 40% saignée (juice which was drawn from the fermenting tank of fully ripened Zinfandel). Because of the the fruitiness of the Zin, the wine feels slightly sweeter than dry (.4% R.S.) and  looks like cherry gummy bears in the glass. The flavor starts with candied red cherries and a side of mint, but as the wine warms strawberries evolve, with the fresh acids persisting throughout. A simple, yummy, and refreshing wine.


2015 Angels & Cowboys Rosé Sonoma County ($15). The brand is a collaboration between Cannonball Wine Company co-founders, Yoav Gilat and Dennis Hill, and Northern California graphic artist, Michael Schwab. The wine is a field blend of Grenache Rouge, Merlot, Petit Verdot and Grenache Blanc sourced from vineyards in Carneros, the Alexander Valley and the Dry Creek Valley. The grapes are harvested early, lightly crushed and macerated on their skins as in the Provencal style. After a long fermentation at cooler temperatures the wine rests on its lees to increase the mouthfeel and texture. Unfortunately my bottle was consumed without my presence when friends visited, but here's what other participants had to say. 

Dezel Quillen ‏@myvinespot: Though sleek & racy, @aandcwines rosé carries enough weight/texture to move onto the the dinner table w/ grilled fish, bird, etc

Gwendolyn Alley, MA ‏@ArtPredator: Palette: watermelon, honeydew, cucumber. Crisp with minerals, light fruit, sage in finish. Angels and Cowboys #rose

Debbie Gioquindo,CSW ‏@hvwinegoddess: Everything is nice on this wine! The minerality, freshness, the citrus finish the violets on the nose....