On a warm August night in someone's backyard, 17 wines, all wines served blind:
2023 Domaine Franck Besson Rose Granit - Méthode traditionnelle France Gamay
Delicious every year. Pale pink, ranier cherry, salmonberry and cantaloupe with good tension. B.
2024 Weingut Ingrid Groiss Hasenhaide Rosé Weinviertel Rosé Blend
Opened one of my 3 bottles two weeks ago and raved about it being the best rose of the summer so far and "can't imagine anything that would beat it". This bottle, Erik's, wasn't as good (and Erik too thought it lesser than a previous bottle he's opened). Pale pink but faintly cloudy vs. very clear, great nose, melon and ranier cherry but not very forthcoming, bone dry, very minerally. Still enjoyable but rated this a B- where my bottle was an A+.
2023 Lightning Rock Pinot Noir Rosé Elysia Vineyard Okanagan Valley
Dark pink, weird nose, very light fruit, funky, very dry, a wine you have to work at--this is not a sunset sipper! D.
2024 Podere Ruggeri Corsini Langhe Rosin Rosato Langhe DOC Rosé Blend
Bottle #2 of two brought this evening: Medium coral pink, bright with good body. Highest acidity of the wines so far and more intense than another bottle. Rated the first one a B, this one a C.
2024 Arnot-Roberts Rosé California Rosé Blend
My bottle. Light warm pink, vivid nose with mesmerizing notes of strawberry and passion fruit with coconut and white pepper adding in on the palate. This is 85% Touriga Nacional. A wine that invites contemplation. Not as acidic as some might expect from a rose but honestly that only added to its elegance. A+.
2023 Seven Hills Winery Cabernet Franc Dry Rosé Columbia Valley
A decent wine with all the qualities of a porch pounder: monochromatic and just plain boring, especially so after the Arnot-Roberts.
2023 Domaine Dupeuble Pere et Fils Beaujolais Rosé Gamay
Doran's, but a familiar wine as we've drunk 3 of these over the past year. It's aging well in the bottle, no hurry. Med+ rose pink color, layered, great acidity. B++
2021 Poberaj Wines Pinot Grigio Ramato Columbia Gorge
Hannah's, and from a new WA producer on the Gorge who is doing very exciting things. Dark rose color from long skin contact, very complex. LOVED this. A+
2022 Château de Manissy Tavel Tête de Cuvée Red Rhone Blend
My bottle. Dark, almost red, with plum and pomegranite fruit accented with tarragon, thyme and black tea. Reminded me how much I love Tavel. A.
2023 Château de Manissy Tavel Tête de Cuvée Red Rhone Blend
Oh and look what Vic brought. Gorgeous rose-red color with notes of Santa Rosa plum, pomegranite and herbs. Softer on the mid-palate than the '22. B+
2022 Denis Jamain Pinot Gris Reuilly
Bland.
2021 La Bastide Blanche Bandol Rosé Mourvèdre Blend, Mourvèdre
Rusty medium orange with notes of clementine and apricot. B++
2021 Cayuse Grenache Edith Rosé Armada Vineyard Walla Walla Valley
Medium coral color, some glasses showed sulfur initially but it integrated beautifully with time in the glass. An exciting wine. A.
2024 Devison Vintners East of the Sun Rosé Boushey Vineyard Yakima Valley Mourvèdre Blend, Mourvèdre
Mild reduction but pretty with notes of cherimoya, starfruit and white cherries. This was the 16th of 17 wines served and I'm amused to see in my notes for it, in capital letters, "FRUIT BATS". Two days later I have no idea what in the heck I meant by FRUIT BATS, but I must have been having a great time!
2019 Clos Cibonne Tibouren Côtes de Provence Cuvée Tradition Rosé Cru Classé
Med orange-red with racy texture and notes of orange peel and cardamom. A+