2016 Banshee, Rose, Mendocino County.
The new vintage of Banshee Rose is a new cepage of Grenache mostly, with a little Pinot Noir and a touch of Syrah, and it is a bright and vibrant dry/crisp pink with tangy/juicy grapefruit, watermelon, tart cherry and light strawberry fruits along with wet stones, mineral and faint peppery spices. This lovely and vivid Rose is a big step up from the Pinot only Roses from Banshee in the past few vintages, and while Banshee made more of this 2016, the demand is extremely high and it should sell out just as fast, so do not wait to get it. The vivid refreshing nature of Banshee’s new pink delivers everything you’d want from a Rose and gives plenty of zing and energy and lingers with rosewater and unripe peach making for a super Summer sipper and a serious quaffer for the coming warm days, great on it’s own, but will certainly be very enjoyable with a range of cuisine. The grapes are sourced from mainly old vine Mendocino vines and a touch of Anderson Valley, and Banshee has a all star team of winemakers including Ross Cobb and Katy Wilson that helps out with vineyards and blending, and they nailed it with this new Rose, this is a label on the raise, the basic Chardonnay and Pinot Noir wines are great values, but be sure to look for their other bottlings, especially their 2014 and 2015 Pinot Noir(s) from single vineyards and special cuvees, especially the Morning Light 2015 Pinot Noir from fruit from the Seaview Fort Ross AVA in the western Sonoma Coast. There is so much to discover here at Banshee, and their tasting room in Healdsburg is a great space to visit and this Rose a great way to start the experience.
($20 Est.) 90+ Points, grapelive
