*DISCLAIMER I am not a wine expert of any kind. I drink it. I like it. Tasting notes mostly serve to make me feel inadequate as I have never had a hint of burnt toast, fig or cardamom in any wine I have ever had. I can tell that my palate has grown up in the last 20 years, but I couldn’t articulate exactly how. I simply enjoy. I hope you can too.
A few years back I was doing some summer wine tasting when we came to the Rosé. I told the woman pouring no thanks, I didn’t like sweet wines, but she tried to persuade me that it wasn’t sweet. Seeing that it was made with Sangiovese grapes and being Italian, I was intrigued. I had to give it a try, out of respect for the mother land. I loved it! It was dry, flavorful, casual and refreshing, like a fine red wine that had slipped out of its heels to walk barefoot in the grass. I bought several bottles to bring home. But even after that I noticed I was a bit prejudiced against the pink. Anytime I served it to a guest, there was a long preamble justifying its presence and arguing that it wasn’t sweet and was, in fact, really dry and fantastic. I still had this lingering unsophisticated feeling of being a teenager and sneaking tap hits off a box of White Zinfandel in the summer of ‘89.
Fast forward about 10 years from that first Sangiovese. I have adjusted to the pink presence because now, Rosé is everywhere. It’s the right now wine for summer and has earned a level of acceptance with even fussy wine drinkers. The grapes used in its making vary from winemaker to winemaker, creating many different styles and options to choose from. I no longer have to campaign while pouring for guests, they know and love it.
While occasionally I do encounter someone who still thinks that pink equals fruit punch, that has increasingly become more and more rare. And to be fair, there are certainly Rosés out there that do have a bit of sugar in them if that’s your preference. For the most part, they are largely dry, color varied, and go down just right on a hot summer night.
Aileen and I took to the road and found two Yakima Valley Rosés to share with you—one from the top of the Valley in Yakima, and one from the Lower Valley in Prosser. We leave the fun of the in-between for you to explore.
After rooted visited with Justin Neufeld last September, we have been crushing on his wines. The Rosé he makes for Gilbert Cellars is spectacular. Sitting with a cheese plate in their beautiful downtown Yakima tasting room, it was all that. Light in color, with notes of unicorn horn and angel wing. A blend of 78% Mourvedre and 22% Grenache if that means something to you as Sangiovese once did to me.
Wit Cellars, a new winery with an experienced crew in Prosser, had a lovely pink as well. A bit darker in color, it’s made with 50% Tempranillo grapes and 50% Sangiovese. We discovered that these guys were awesome after a tip from Abbey at the Walter Clore Wine and Culinary Center. We caught one of the owners watering plants out front, and even though they were closed, he graciously welcomed us inside. After a full tasting of all their wines, we were hooked in the middle and will be going back during business hours for a further in depth exploration. But for all intents and pink purposes, their Rosé was dynamite.
With my extremely limited knowledge based on eavesdropping in tasting rooms, I have learned that Rosés are currently beloved by the people and are selling very well. We encourage you to explore and go where your palate takes you. Because most folks don’t drink it all the time, it’s a great barefooted diversion. At the end of the day, if you want something that’s delicate and surprising, inspires conversation with its unique qualities and makes you feel good all over, grab a bottle of the pink. Summer of ’89 be damned.
Thank you for your sharing! It is refreshing to have a local perspective on the wines of central Washington. Your description of a wine as having slipped off its high heels to go bare foot is so evocative and apt. I look forward to seeing more of your posts.