Winemaker Notes
This Rosé of Pinot Noir has pronounced aromas of white peach, strawberry and citrus. The palate is medium bodied, with balancing and refreshing acidity, leading to a finish that expresses watermelon and grapefruit.
A summer favorite, perfect for brunch or a picnic.
Professional Ratings
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Wilfred Wong of Wine.com
COMMENTARY: The 2021 Cambria Estate Winery Julia's Vineyard Rosé of Pinot Noir is pleasing with loads of red fruits on the palate and a slightly elevated smooth finish. TASTING NOTES: This wine shows aromas and flavors of ripe cherries, strawberries, and rhubarb. Enjoy it with light, mildly-flavored appetizers. (Tasted: August 20, 2022, San Francisco, CA)
Whether it’s playful and fun or savory and serious, most rosé today is not your grandmother’s White Zinfandel, though that category remains strong. Pink wine has recently become quite trendy, and this time around it’s commonly quite dry. Since the pigment in red wines comes from keeping fermenting juice in contact with the grape skins for an extended period, it follows that a pink wine can be made using just a brief period of skin contact—usually just a couple of days. The resulting color depends on grape variety and winemaking style, ranging from pale salmon to deep magenta.
A lesser-known but elite AVA within the larger Santa Barbara district, the Santa Maria Valley AVA runs precisely west to east starting near the coast. The valley funnels cool, Pacific Ocean air to the vineyards more inland, allowing grapes a longer hang time to ripen evenly and achieve their full potential by harvest time. Combined with minimal rainfall, consistent warm sunshine, and well-drained soils, it is an ideal environment for grape growing.
Many of the wineries here are small and highly respected, having established a reputation in the 1970s and 80s for producing excellent Central Coast wines like Pinot Noir and Chardonnay. More recently, Syrah has also proven quite successful in the region. Many vineyards are owned by growers who sell their grapes to other wineries, so it is common to see the same vineyard name on bottlings from different wineries. Bien Nacido Vineyard is perhaps the best-known and most prestigious.