Couple of interesting rosés being enjoyed today with the ridiculously warm California weather. Well… one’s a proper rosé–with 5 years under its belt–and the other a *kinda* rosé: a white Sangiovese. The colors are extreme opposites: the aged Paso a deep, ruddy expression of *onion skin*; the bianco showing nary a trace of blush. I’ve been doing two rosés at a time for a while (they seem to just BREED in the cellar) and picked these 2 for their unusual offerings. First off: you have to be fairly careful about picking which rosés to hold up for a half-decade. They need to be of proper variety, made well and balanced, and somewhat understand HOW they were made. What I mean here–and I know this will get me asterisks–this is where it’s a good idea to stick to reasonably *conventional* wine, avoiding sans soufre or un-fined/un-filtered “natural” versions. A good rosé CAN last 5… 10 years–even longer–and there are plenty of examples world-wide to support this. I love how the color has richened and blushed–while maintaining a classic orange hue. And it drinks beautifully.
The Tuscan bianco is another bird altogether, and something rather rare to find in the US. There are PLENTY of white sangio’s out there, but I imagine they are a tough sell in America. That’s a shame, and something you should keep your eyes open for–to move out of your *safe* zone.
The 2016 Paso Robles is a meaty glassful, showing gobs of petrol and smoky, candied points of fruit in the nose. Clean and well-fruited, fresh as all-get-out, I might even think it Riesling double-blind. Muted lychee and an almost chocolate-coated pear and strawberry fill the bouquet. In the mouth, light cherry notes mire themselves in grating structure: a dense, beautifully mature rosé.
Drinking both of these at just *barely* below 60°. Drinking great wines like these would be dumb at at refrigerator-chill.
The Toscano offers green, wiry briar, melon and pamplemousse in the nose, all coming off a pale glass barely tinged in yellow. Petrichor and newsprint provide adequate Italian influence. Tasting it is a sharp experience, driving bitter pangs of acid ahead of ripe apple and gooseberry. Oily in texture, though bright at opposing ends, it’s a gorgeous white from a red grape just KILLIN it on a myriad of levels.
2016 CIRCLE B VINEYARDS Rosé de Garnacha Estate Paso Robles California 12.65
2019 INSERRATA ‘Inusuale’ Bianco Sangiovese Toscano Italy 13.0
Stephen McConnell 