New Release: 2020 Rosé
We are very excited to be releasing our new 2020 Rosé, which has recently won a gold medal and a 91 point score at the 2021 Wine & Spirits Experience Rosé Awards! We have taken our rosé in a new direction with this vintage focusing on the soft, subtle flavors that we are currently seeing in rosés coming out of the Provence region of France which this style of rosé is designed to emulate.
A Note From our Winemaker, Russell Hearn
What makes a great Rosé? At the moment based on wine consumption trends, the benchmark for rosé is rosé made in Provence, France which typically produces pale, salmon-colored rosés with soft, subtle flavors and very light acidity. Right or wrong as a winemaker you have to be conscious of what is 'perceived as a top wine'. One of the most fun parts of a winemaker's job is to be constantly tasting the wines of the world and assessing the trends coming out of each region.
Over the last year we have spent some time tasting a wide variety of rosés from across the globe but have primarily focused on rosés from Provence, France which based on the current wine market the average wine drinker perceives as the top rosés in the world.
Given all of this we have taken our rosé which we have always made in the Provence style and taken it one step further. North Fork rosés, particularly those made from predominantly Cabernet Franc fruit as ours is, tend to have bright, crisp acidity that lifts the fruit and lingers on the finish. While the goal is always to make the best Rose expression from our region, we can make a rosé that emulates aspects of the style, for example in our 2020 Rosé we have used a little less Cabernet Franc and added a little Pinot Noir which softens the flavors and adds more roundness to the pallet. We have also intentionally de-emphasized the acidity giving it a nice, gentle finish.
More About the 2020 Rosé
A delicate Provencal style rosé with soft, subtle aromatics, our 2020 Rosé—a blend of Cabernet Franc, Merlot, and Pinot Noir—has hints of watermelon and carnations on the nose with raspberry, quince, and starfruit mingling on the palate giving way to soft, round flavors and a nice brightness on the finish. Our rosé is purposely made by harvesting the fruit a full 2-3 weeks earlier than we would for our red wines. After 6 hours of skin contact to extract a light salmon hue, the fruit is pressed. The light flavors and crisp finish make this a versatile wine able to stand up nicely with a wide range of lighter fare including seafood, salads, chicken, chilled pastas, lobster, and pork. This wine is perfect for the beach, sitting by the pool, and a summer BBQ!
We look forward to hearing your thoughts and seeing which style you prefer—the 2019 Rosé or the 2020 Rosé. Throughout the summer months we will be tasting both our 2019 and 2020 Rosés side by side in our Summer Sippers Tasting flight. Stop by the Tasting House and give these two delicious wines a try. We would love to know your preference!