2017 Joyce Vineyards, Rosé, Turbidity Current, Monterey County.
It’s that time of year, when we all crave long summer days again and want to sip Rosé, lucky we are having a warm spell here in northern California right now and the thought of a dry pink wine comes into consciousness. Blessed are we that it is in fact time for the first of the fresh Rosé wines to be released, and I got a preview of a few including the wonderfully refreshing Joyce Vineyards Turbidity Current 2017, which is just being bottled as I write this, with a few gorgeous Magnums getting waxed too! One of Monterey’s rising stars, Russell Joyce crafted his pretty and delicately pale Rosé with a zesty mix of Gamay and Grenache along with a tiny about of Mourvedre that Russell feels really adds to the whole in a big way, giving a tad more texture and complexity even in such small amounts, and I agree this vintage, the first with the few percentage points of Mourvedre has a savvy air to it with a fuller mouth feel without expanding the palate of taking away the crisp and tangy nature. The 2017, a unique dusty dry California Rosé, has lots of energy with that brisk Gamay acidity and the juicy/generous Grenache strawberry tones, it starts with a hint of rosewater, bumble gum, tangy spice, mineral, citrus, sour cherry and earthy/chalky wet stone. This is vibrantly dry and cooly focused, perfect for quaffing, the grapes were picked exclusively to be Rosé, harvested cold and with low brix (sugar), getting a gentile fermentation with a short maceration with only stainless being employed to preserve dynamic vivid purity. This bright Rosé is going to be a huge hit, it will be released very soon, so keep an eye out, and also check out Joyce’s dry Riesling too, both offering tons of quality and fun for the Spring and Summer, plus don’t forget to grab Joyce’s awesome set of 2016 Pinots, especially their Gabilan Pinot Noir, one of the best new offerings in California and their northern Rhone style Tondre Grapefield Syrah, in particular Russell’s 2016 version. This winery has reached the next level and has some seriously delicious wines out right now with a awesome array of offerings from Merlot to Albarino and Cabernet to Chardonnay too, along with the mentioned Rosé, Riesling, Pinots and Syrah, this is a winery that is on a roll and a label to watch.
($18 Est.) 90 Points, grapelive

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