2023 Paysan, Rosé, Central Coast.
The Paysan Rosé, by Ian Brand, always seems to deliver the goods, it again has crisply dry and refreshingly delicious radiant fruit, spice and mineral tones in very confident and delicately pale salmon hued Mourvedre driven Provence style wine. Formerly know as Pierre’s Pirouette and with a playful cartoon label, the Paysan Rosé has joined the rest of Brand’s Paysan lineup with a new look with labels, that started last year, that better reflect the authentic nature and quality found in the bottle with an earthy feel and artist simplistic look, which I really like. The latest dry pink from Ian Brand and his team comes from selected vineyard sites to best produce this Bandol inspired wine with San Benito County and Monterey County forming the core here with 78% Mourvèdre, 11% Grenache and 11% Cinsault. This cool toned and refreshing 2023 Paysan Rosé shows off crushed raspberry, sour cherry, ruby grapefruit, watermelon and orange fruits along with steely wet stones, dried herbs, rosewater and saline notes. This is just what the doctor ordered for Summer days ahead and it will go great with beach sunsets and picnics, as well as being a great aperitif and poolside sipper. As mentioned before, Brand, a noted geology (dirt) geek and vineyard whisperer has found some incredible vineyards to craft his collection of Paysan, La Marea and signature I. Brand & Family wines, with his latest Paysan Sauvignon Blanc and Rhone Blend Le P’Tit Pape, Le Marea Albarino and the I. Brand & Winery Grenache, Bay Franc and Cabernet Sauvignon bottlings being some of my personal favorites.
Much the same as last year’s 2022 and the 2021 Le P’Tit Paysan Rosé “Pierre’s Pirouette” this 2023 Paysan Rosé by Ian Brand & Family Winery, based in Salinas California, is a blend of mainly the mentioned Mourvedre, along with with a small bit of Grenache and Cinsault, this time around, that adds complexity and vibrancy in a wine that is a tasty local favorite. The quality to price ratio here is outstanding and this Rosé joins a select group of California pink wines that deliver an almost Mediterranean influenced like character, including exceptional offerings by Arnot-Roberts, Bedrock, Tribute to Grace and Stars & Dust, all worth chasing down and enjoying this coming Summer. The direct press Rosé saw stainless steel fermentation, seeing only a few hours of skin contact, and tank aging with no malos, it was cold stabilized and sterile filtered and was bottled early to preserve intensity and vitality. The grapes are usually picked early and benefits from that fresh acidity and the stony/mineral elements that come from, what Brand calls, the calcium rich Aguajito Shale as well as the calcareous alluvial soils. There’s a tons to admire and like here with Ian’s current set of wines and some new varietals in the mix that are very intriguing, like the recently reviewed Verdelho, Arneis, Cabernet Pfeffer and Escolle Vineyard Gamay Noir, along with Brand’s all new and exciting Flint Vineyard Pinot Noir, which comes from a limestone influenced site not far from the famous Calera and near Mount Harlan. That said, Ian’s Cabernet Sauvignon, Cabernet Franc, Albarino and Grenache bottlings are also absolutely brilliant wines, not to miss either.
($24 Est.) 92 Points, grapelive