2015 Poe Wines, Sparkling Rosé, Sonoma Valley.
Samantha Sheehan, of Poe Wines, makes a lovely set of handcrafted wines that were inspired by her travels to Europe and especially her time in Champagne and Burgundy, she produces traditional Champagne method sparkling wines, a Rosé, Chardonnay, Pinot Noir, and even a nouveau from Pinot Noir as well as a limited set of Vermuth(s) all of which are outstanding and individual bottlings. This 2015 Sparkling Rosé shows a vivid fruit intensity with delicate floral notes and leesy brioche showing tart cherry, strawberry and pink citrus fruits along with an elegant mineral streak and a generous and textured palate that is highlight by a fabulous refined mousse and beading of bubbles, it is very well made sparkler that delights the senses. Poe’s Sparkling Rosé is made from 70% Pinot Noir coming from the Olcese Vineyard, which was planted in 1972 to the Martini clone of Pinot Noir, and 30% Pinot Meunier from the Van der Kamp Vineyard that lies at the very top of Sonoma Mountain, on a mix of soils, at close to 1,400 feet elevation, it looks down on the historic little town of Glen Ellen to the east and the Bennett Valley to the northwest. It is one of the oldest plantings of Pinot Noir in the state, with some of maybe the oldest Pinot vines still producing and was originally back planted in the early 1950s and it shows in the structure it gives to this Sparkling Rosé, while the Meunier came much later, but makes for a good part of this intriguing bubbly, adding vinous roundness and complexity.
The Pinot Meunier and Pinot Noir grapes were both, as Sheehan notes, picked early as is done with sparkling wines, on August 24th of 2015. All the grapes were pressed together, and co-fermented in neutral French oak barrels with 100% native yeasts and without the addition of sulfur. Samantha adds that after primary fermentation, she kept the sulfur extremely low and allowed this Rosé to rest for the next 11 months in barrel before putting it into bottle for sparkling fermentation, where It was aged another almost three years on the lees before being disgorged. This Sparkling Rosé by Sheehan hits all the right cords and is one of the best grower fizz style hand crafted wines available, joining Michael Cruse and Caraccioli in that small production elite set from California. I love Samantha’s latest stuff and have been fan of her wines since she burst on the wine scene out of no where back with the 2012 vintage, after starting her own label in 2009, with her beautiful Chard and Pinot. She has really put herself into these wines and you can see her inspiration shining through from her travels to Burgundy and Champagne, her wines are well balanced and exceptionally food friendly, especially this light pink and salmon hued Sparkling Rosé which gains depth and seriousness with matching cuisine and yet is still fun and playful by itself, drink over the next 3 to 5 years.
($42 Est.) 92 Points, grapelive