2018 Joyce Wine Company, Rosé, Gamay/Grenache “Turbidity Current” Monterey County.
Joyce’s 2018 Turbidity Current Roséis a dry and bright version, crafted this year from 63% Grenache and 37% Gamay from Monterey County vines and highlights the nature of the vintage, which is one of the best in recent memory, allowing good fruit dimension and substance, but with fresh detail and tangy acidity. The Gamay really adds pop, while the Grenache gives finesse and presence in the glass, making for a unique California Rosé experience with brisk youthful detail, tart cherry fruit and mineral charm.
Russell Joyce and his team are thrilled with their 2018 vintage wines, and what I have tasted I can see why, this might be the best vintage for Monterey in my lifetime, certainly in the last decade, the fruit detail is impressive and the balance in even such an early stage is amazing, in both reds and whites, these are going to be incredible wines, and to get an insight into them, you can start with Joyce’s latest Albarino, their Dry Riesling and this lovely pink wine. All these are now available at their tasting room and remarkably drinkable already, and should only get better in the coming months.
The crisp 2018 Turbidity Current Rosé starts with zippy citrus and the mentioned sour red cherry, plum water and crushed raspberry fruit along with rose oil, spring herb, steely tones and a touch of wet stone, all of which makes for a lovely sipping wine that will be great for the warm days to come. There’s a lot to get excited about at Joyce right now and coming in the future, their 2017 single vineyard Pinots are stunning wines, as is Joyce’s Syrah(s), which are sometimes overlooked and should not be, their old vine Chenin Blanc is a savvy white that is not a wine to miss, and it is a good time to discover all these. This Rosé, will it’s near play between fruit and acidity with it’s delicious lightness and tension will most definitely enjoy its time with the local cuisine and the beach!
($22 Est.) 90 Points, grapelive