Grapelive New Rosé Picks
2017 Bow & Arrow, Rose, Willamette Valley, Oregon.
Scott Frank’s Bow & Arrow Dry Willamette Valley Rose is mostly Pinot Noir based with a touch of Gamay similar to what you might find in Touraine in the Loire Valley, where he gets most of his inspiration. That said, the Bow & Arrow Rose is at first a dead ringer for a Txakolina Rose with a faint, but distinct spritzy zesty quality and electric vibrancy, I am totally addicted to this wonderfully light and zippy pink wine! Picked to be Rose and whole cluster, direct press with a tiny amount of self captured CO2 this Willamette Valley Rose deliver a excellent performance and is thrilling from start to finish with it’s remarkably delicate palate of acid and mineral driven character featuring a heightened experience of tart cherry, strawberry, nectarine, lemon/lime and faint mouth watering unripe watermelon. This a vivid and tangy, super dry style pink that is an ultimate poolside quaffer and or picnic/porch pounder, I though will be savoring a few bottles at the beach this summer. Scott Franc, winemaker at Bow & Arrow, the Portland based natural wine producer is crafting some of Oregon’s best values and most interesting wines, sourcing from almost exclusively organic if not biodynamic sites, that includes Johan Vineyards, his wines as mentioned lean towards the Loire Valley for their influence rather than the more common Burgundy theme you find in the Willamette, be sure to check out their Sancerre and Pouilly-Fume styled Sauvignon Blancs, as well as their saline/stony Melon de Bourgogne (Muscadet like) for the wines and their Gamay based reds especially, with the Rhinestones in particular a wine not to miss, along with a fresh set of Pinot Noirs this is an awesome winery to discover. The Rose gains with air, adding a hint of snappy herbs and rosewater, it’s refreshing charms run deep and I only wish it was in a magnum, drink as much as you can find!
($16-20 Est.) 92 Points, grapelive
2017 Illahe Vineyards, Rose of Tempranillo, Willamette Valley, Oregon.
Illahe is an under the radar producer of wonderful Willamette Valley Pinots, but you should check out all of their offerings, they include this amazingly and shockingly dry Rose of Tempranillo, as well as Lagrein, a grape that makes some the most interesting and dark wines of the Alto Adige, a Viognier, Pinot Gris and Gruner Veltliner! Illahe, which means “Earth” or (our) “Place” in the native American Chinook language, is a mostly organic producer with a great sense of sustainable responsibility as well as being part of Oregon’s Deep Roots Coalition, they are based in Dallas, Oregon in the west Salem area of the Willamette Valley set on marine sediments atop ancient siletz rock, with these sedimentary Willakenzie, Bellpine, Wellsdale, Dupee, with patches of volcanic Jory soils giving these wines their soul, life force and character. There are so many intriguing things going on at this winery it could take a novel’s worth of text to relate it all to you, but I digress, I was talking about their pink stuff! The Rose of Tempranillo is whole cluster and direct press from all hand picked small lots and barrel fermented and aged like a white wine, but with just enough skin contact to achieve it’s golden/pink salmon hue and it comes in at a vibrantly fresh 12.5% natural alcohol, with it’s acid intensity it has a riveting personality and old world charm and zesty feel, it’s bursting with energy showing tart melon, wild peach, tart yellow and pink citrus as well as sour cherry fruits along with a racy spiciness, steely mineral, loam and wet flint notes with just enough used barrel influence to give a nice vinous quality. Isn’t she pretty in pink, drink this vivacious Rose of Tempranillo, which has an almost Provence Tibouren feel, over the coming year, it’s tasty brilliant stuff.
($17 Est.) 92 Points, grapelive