Winemaker Notes
A beautiful reflection of Monterey County’s pristine coastal terroir, our Rosé opens with fragrant wild strawberries and dried rose petals on the nose. Flavors of juicy cherry and ripe raspberry are balanced by refreshing acidity and a crisp, clean finish. This vibrant wine is a diverse menu partner, pairing exceptionally well with prosciutto and melon or crab cakes with spicy aioli.
Professional Ratings
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Wine Enthusiast
A pale shade of pink in the glass, this widely available and incredibly affordable bottling begins with brisk watermelon, chalk and orange rose petal aromas on the nose. Rounded watermelon and strawberry are wrapped in a chalky grip on the palate, which also includes a slight soil-like minerality.
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 geographic and climatic paradise for grape vines, Monterey is a part of the greater Central Coast AVA and contains within it five smaller sub-appellations, including Arroyo Seco, San Lucas, San Bernabe, Hames Valley and the famous Santa Lucia Highlands. The climate is relatively warm but tempered by cool, coastal winds, allowing the regions in Monterey County an exceptionally long growing season. Bud break often happens two weeks sooner and harvest tends to be two weeks later compared to other surrounding regions.
Monterey’s coastal side, where the cooling ocean fog allows grapes to develop a perfect sugar-acid balance, excels in the production of Chardonnay, Pinot Noir and Riesling. Warmer, inland subzones are home to fleshy, concentrated and full-bodied reds like Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot and Zinfandel.
Chardonnay, covering about 40% of vineyard acreage, is the most widely planted grape in all of Monterey County.