2017 Arnot-Roberts, Rosé of Touriga Nacional, California.
Duncan Arnot Meyers and Nathan Lee Roberts, the minds behind California’s Arnot-Roberts winery, craft a bunch of awesome tiny production wines, everything from Pinot Noir, Syrah and Cabernet to Trousseau Noir and this unique Rosé, which is 100% Touriga Nacional, that Portuguese red varietal found in Port, from Lake County mostly with the bulk coming off the Luchsinger Vineyard usually, a site that was planted in 1999 on volcanic cobble over ancient riverbed stones at about 1,400’ in the Clear Lake AVA west of Kelseyville, where they also get some of their Trousseau. This has become a cult, must have, dry Rosé each year, much in the same way most of us in the wine business need Domaine Tempier Bandol Rosé, it’s a real wine geeks wine! Brilliantly cool on the nose with light red fruits, floral notes, mineral and spice notes leading the way to a delicately crisp palate of tangy cherry, strawberry, dusty red spices, steely/flinty wet rock, citrus brightness along with unripe watermelon and rosewater. This wonderfully dry and vivid Rosé is one of the most complete and pleasing pink wines in California, drink up and get while you can!
($28 Est.) 93 Points, grapelive
