2018 Bedrock Wine Co. Old Vine Rosé Wine “Ode to Lulu” California.
Bright and intensely mineral infused the 2018 Bedrock Ode to Lulu proves again why it’s such a sought after wine with great flavor detail, zesty freshness and a lingering finish, this Rosé is complex and complete in a way that very few others can compete with.
One of California’s great pink wines, Morgan Twain-Peterson’s Bedrock Wine Co. Ode to Lulu is a tribute to the great Mourvedre Rosé of the iconic Lucie ‘Lulu” Peyraud of Domaine Tempier, the legendary Bandol producer. The 2018 version of Bedrock’s Rosé is composed of 55% old vine Mataro (Mourvedre) and 45% old vine Grenache. Morgan says his Ode to Lulu is a love letter to the Bandol rosé we love so much and especially to the queen of Provence herself. The Lulu Mataro is sourced from the sandy soils and own-rooted vines of Oakley in Contra Costa, along with a dash of 1920s-planted fruit from the famed Pagani Ranch in the Sonoma Valley. Twain-Peterson adds that deliciously feral and wild Mataro element is enlivened by the Grenache which was planted in the 1880’s up in Gibson Ranch in Mendocino’s McDowell Valley. This is a fabulous super pale, but thrillingly flavored and intense Rosé that comes from historic and wonderfully old vine fruit, it maybe the best vintage I’ve had from Bedrock and it is impossible not to be seduced by its charms.
Layered and vibrant the 2018 shows off on the medium bodied palate with a mix of strawberry, grapefruit, sour cherry, rosewater and with a hint of dried herb, with all flavors revolving around it’s steely core and with a touch of stone and earth tones. The fruit really pops with a vivid clarity and makes this Bedrock Rosé great as a quaffable treat on a warm afternoon, but it is also serious stuff that revels in food pairings, and I for one think it goes sensationally with mussels in spicy broth, as well as BBQ and picnic fare. 2018 is a stunning vintage for Rosé in California with great wines just now coming available, especially this one, so be sure to grab some while you can, as it tends to go fast. Morgan Twain-Peterson has really put himself among the elite winemakers in the state, mostly known for his work with Heritage vineyard sites and old vine field blends, including his two main estate holdings, Evangelho in Contra Costa and his famed Bedrock Vineyard, one of California’s most historic Zinfandel sites in Sonoma Valley, originally planted back in 1854. His latest set of releases are fabulous with this Rosé being a stand out along with the Lorenzo’s Heritage Red, a blend of Zinfandel, Petite Sirah and 14% Carignan along with tiny amounts of Alicante Bouschet, Cinsault, Peloursin and even a touch of Chateauneuf du Pape’s Vaccarese, coming from the Dry Creek Valley. Don’t miss these and be sure to catch Bedrock’s other Zin based stuff, including their signature Bedrock, and their Syrahs.
($23 Est.) 93 Points, grapelive