Rosé Colored Glasses

As we enjoy rosé this summer, let’s remove the rose-colored glasses.  How can one even begin to chose what wine to drink when there are so many options?  What a delightful experience it has been this week as I’ve tried four different Rosé wines!

The first bottle of wine I bought at Cellar 51. A wonderful small wine boutique hidden away in the Dawley Farms neighborhood on the east side of Sioux Falls.

The bottle I grabbed was “Belle Glos Pinot Noir Blanc Rosé Oeil De Perdrix Vineyard, 2022,” for about $20 and it’s from the northern coast of California. This is a Pinot Noir Rosé, so we know it will lean a little more to the dry side. What I found, was it was quite a bit sweeter than I anticipated and it had quite heavy vanilla notes. Red fruits and citrus were also present, but the vanilla seemed to dominate all the other flavors. With such a strong emphasis on vanilla. It struck me more of a dessert wine, rather than a patio sipper on a hot day. Grab this summer wine and pair it with a fruit tart or berry bowl to accompany it.

The next adventures took us to Paso Robles, which is about 200 miles south of Napa Valley. Inspired by classic French style rosés, the Daou 2021 vintage rates better than any other year for this wine, according to Vivino.com. A Grenache Noir based wine, blended with a touch of Sauvignon Blanc. Which again leans more towards the dry side of wines. This medium bodied rosé has peach, melon, and red fruit notes, and finishes fairly citrus. Unlink the Belle Glos, this one was crisp and refreshing, perfect for soaking up those summer rays. This one pairs beautifully with seafood dishes, or light snacks.

Sticking with the French inspiration, we headed to the south of France for this next rosé. Soon to be starring on Crawford’s summer wine menu. So keep an eye out for all those who are in Sioux Falls with us. This is the Hampton Waters Rosé, 2021. A beautiful rosé, 60% Grenache, blended with some Cinsault, Mourvèdre, and Syrah, which are traditional grapes of the French Mediterranean. Fun fact,- Cinsault is actual a minor grape for this region. You won’t find it often, but it delivers a fresh red fruit with a good amount of floral notes. Strawberry is the theme of this rosé. So much so that the bottom of the bottle is modeled after a strawberry. Pale in color, it packs a punch. Highly recommend for your patio parties, or anytime you are craving chilled, but don’t want something too sweet.

The final destination on our blush bus, is the G.D. Vajra Rosa Bella, 2022. This wine is available at Maribella Ristorante, and it wins first place for us. This wine travels to us all the way from Italy. Bartender and wine connoisseur Will sold us on this wine. When he said, “Rosa Bella is really expressive on the nose. It’s a Nebbiolo, and if you dip your toes in a Barolo, just a touch, you would get the Rosa Bella, the sexiest Rosé in a glass.”

He was not joking. It’s sexiest looking and tasting rosé I have ever had the pleasure of experiencing. It’s dry (noticing a pattern?) It has notes of floral notes of rose, hibiscus (which is my jam, by the way), pomegranate, rhubarb, and wild strawberries. Surprisingly deep and complex wine for a rosé, but it doesn’t detract from being just an enjoyable chilled rosé. Something I would recommend stocking up on and can even be enjoyed when it starts getting chilly out again.

Thank you for adventuring with us all over the world to discover some beautiful wines. This was a long journey, but rosé is always worth a little extra attention. Comment down below on some surprising rosé finds, or what you think about our picks. Until the next voyage, happy sipping.