Winemaker Notes
Professional Ratings
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Wilfred Wong of Wine.com
COMMENTARY: I am always searching for the wine lovers' rosé. Not that I don't enjoy a blush or cocktail style pink, because I do—they are great for chilling out and happy hour. The 2017 Red Car Rosé of Pinot Noir is beautifully conceived for exquisite dining experiences. TASTING NOTES: This wine is bright and brisk as it brings bright cranberries, strawberries, and minerality to the fore. Enjoy it lively and crisp finish with long neck clam sashimi. (Tasted: May 21, 2018, 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.
Reaching up California's coastline and into its valleys north of San Francisco, the North Coast AVA includes six counties: Marin, Solano, Napa, Sonoma, Mendocino and Lake. While Napa and Sonoma enjoy most of the glory, the rest produce no shortage of quality wines in an intriguing and diverse range of styles.
Climbing up the state's rugged coastline, the chilly Marin County, just above the City and most of Sonoma County, as well as Mendocino County on the far north end of the North Coast successfully grow cool-climate varieties like Pinot Noir, Chardonnay and in some spots, Riesling. Inland Lake County, on the other hand, is considerably warmer, and Cabernet Sauvignon, Zinfandel and Sauvignon Blanc produce some impressive wines with affordable price tags.