2025 Holman Ranch Estate Winery & Vineyard, Rosé of Pinot Noir, Susan’s Saignée, Carmel Valley AVA, Monterey County.
The vibrant, steely toned and refreshing pale salmon hued 2025 Susan’s Saignée Rosé of Pinot Noir from the Holman Ranch and Vineyards in Camel Valley is again a delicious and crisply dry Rosé has lots of bright acidity and while a Saignée, it is led by sour cherry, ruby citrus and strawberry with just a whisper of watermelon fruitiness, along with some wet rock, saline and delicate rosewater. Nicely balanced and light on its feet this was a perfect warm Fall afternoon sipper and it also was tasty with a fresh paella and a cheese board. As I’ve mentioned in more recent reviews of these wines, the Holman Ranch lineup is impressive, with the selection of Pinot Noirs, cement tank raised Chardonnay, dry Pinot Gris and the Syrah,which I just rated, being favorites. This winery’s vineyards in Monterey County’s Carmel Valley AVA sits about a mile east of the Carmel Valley Village set on a picturesque hillsides getting cool ocean breezes to go with the long sunny hot days of Summer.
I’ve been following Holman Ranch wines from the 2012 vintage, and they have never been as good as they are now, with the 2023 and 2024 vintage Pinot Noir(s) and Syrah being exceptional and wines to search out from this small Carmel Valley Estate, just 13 miles inland from Carmel Bay. Winemakers, father and son, Greg and Chris Vita, who have farmed and made the wines here, at Holman Ranch, since the beginning, crafted this Rosé using a gentle long bladder pressing, without any skin maceration and fermented it exclusively in cool stainless steel. This one sees just about three months on the lees in tank before cold settling and bottling, all to keep things tightly focused and extra fresh on release. Interestingly this wine, only 500 cases made, usually comes from particular blocks of Dijon 667 and 777 clones, that are nicely suited for the earlier picks, that works for these Rosé especially well, and allows for just about 12.5% natural alcohol, keeping it finely balanced and eager to please. It was good again to catch up with Holman Ranch, and see they are still pushing for higher levels of quality and terroir distinction, but this wine was certainly a much needed thirst quencher and highly quaffable.
($39 Est.) 90 Points, grapelive