Winemaker Notes
Very pale orange and pink. Lively red fruit aromas of strawberry and watermelon with a hint of minerality. Dry, crisp on the palate and very persistent. Fruitiness balanced with a touch of mouth-watering acidity and plenty of verve. A full-bodied wine which is a perfect spring and summer sipper.
It has just enough seriousness to pair with the right foods.
Blend: 88% Grenache, 7% Counoise, 5% Syrah
Professional Ratings
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Wilfred Wong of Wine.com
COMMENTARY: The 2019 Margerum Riviera Rosé brings an excellent richness to its Provencal style pink wine. TASTING NOTES: This excellent wine exhibits dried red fruit and chalk in its aromas and flavors. Pair it with grilled crab legs and heirloom tomatoes in a toss with al dente, fresh pasta. (Tasted: May 6, 2020, San Francisco, CA)
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Wine Enthusiast
A very pale shade of pink in this glass, this Grenache-based rose pops on the nose with aromas of lime spray, watermelon bubblegum and a metallic-like mineralogy. There's bright energy to the sip, where lime juice, rounded nectarine flesh and a hint of melon make for a refreshing sip.
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Jeb Dunnuck
This estate always fashions a terrific rosé and the 2019 Riviera Rose of Santa Barbara County is no exception, yielding a Provençal bouquet of light strawberry and peach, medium to light-bodied richness, bright acidity, and a juicy, dry finish that keeps you coming back to the glass.
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.
With a dry and mild climate cooled significantly by moist ocean fog and breezes, Santa Barbara County is a grape-grower’s dream. Part of the larger Central Coast appellation, Santa Barbara is home to Santa Maria Valley and Santa Ynez Valley. The conditions here provide an opportunity for nearly effortless production of high-quality cool-climate Central Coast wines. This is also the site of the 2004 film Sideways, which caused Pinot Noir’s popularity to skyrocket and brought new acclaim to the region.
Chardonnay and Pinot Noir are the stars of Santa Barbara, producing wines marked by racy acidity. Crisp Sauvignon Blanc and savory Syrah are also important. The region is home to many young and enthusiastic winemakers eager to experiment with less common varieties including Chenin Blanc, Grüner Veltliner, Trousseau Gris, Gamay and Cabernet Franc, making it an exciting area to watch.