Winemaker Notes
Shimmering with a pale salmon hue as it splashes into the glass, the 2020 Lucy Rosé is brilliance captured in a bottle. Pronounced aromas of macerated strawberry, fresh watermelon and nectarine give way to hints of refreshing sea air, as if transporting the senses directly to the windswept hillsides of the Santa Lucia Highlands. On the palate, classic notes of peach, fresh citrus and bright red fruit speak to the minimal skin contact and gentle extraction of delicate flavors coaxed from each berry during careful pressing and a slow fermentation. When balanced with the added volume and texture from neutral oak barrel aging, the crisp, mouthwatering acidity on display awakens the palate, as this wine begs to be the refill of your next empty glass.
Professional Ratings
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Wilfred Wong of Wine.com
COMMENTARY: The 2020 Lucy Rosé—the winery donates $1 of every bottle sold to breast cancer aid and research—is an excellent wine. TASTING NOTES: This wine exhibits attractive strawberry, a shade of minerality, and a hint of chalk in its aromas and flavors. Enjoy it with fresh salmon and avocado handrolls. (Tasted: March 13, 2021, 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.
Perhaps the most highly regarded appellation within Monterey County, Santa Lucia Highlands AVA benefits from a combination of warm morning sunshine and brisk afternoon breezes, allowing grapes to ripen slowly and fully. The result is concentrated, flavorful wines that retain their natural acidity. Wineries here do not shy away from innovation, and place a high priority on sustainable viticultural practices.
The climatic conditions here are perfectly suited to the production of ripe, rich Pinot Noir and Chardonnay. These Burgundian varieties dominate an overwhelming percentage of plantings, though growers have also found success with Syrah, Riesling and Pinot Gris.