When rosés are good they're very, very good--but when they're bad they're horrible. Thankfully, I've had many good rosés this summer. And the one that I keep buying more of is the excellent QPR 2008 A to Z Wineworks Rosé ($12.49 from my local grocery store; $10 direct from the winery). This was one of those serendipitous discoveries. I wasn't looking for a rosé or any wine at all, to be honest. But there it was, sitting on the shelf in the supermarket.What caught my eye at first was its deep rose color. Not magenta, not deep salmon--true rose. Oddly enough, this color is rare among rosés. So I took a bottle home and I've been hooked ever since.
The 2008 A to Z Wineworks Rosé is a lovely, full-bodied but dry rosé made from Sangiovese grapes. It has an intriguing mixture of fruit, herb, and vegetable flavors and aromas. Imagine a wine that combined raspberry, strawberry, parsley, and cucumber notes. Now imagine how refreshing and crisp that combination would be. That's exactly what this wine represented to me, and with the temperatures still high and the sun out it's a combination that seems to fit the way we're living now.
I wasn't familiar with A to Z Wineworks so I got on the 'net and did some surfing. They have a great website, and their motto is "Aristocratic wines at democratic prices." Standing behind the name is a dynamite team of Oregon's best winemakers, including Bill Hatcher (formerly of Domaine Drouhin), Sam Tannahill (formerly of Archery Summit), and Cheryl Francis (formerly of Chehalem). They make a full lineup of wines, including Pinot Noir, and not one of them retails for more than $20. So check them out and get a mixed case of Riesling, Pinot Blanc, and other goodies to get you through the fall. And don't forget this great rosé. It's terrific now, and will be just as good with turkey sandwiches in November.
5 comments:
Their Pinot Noir is great. I'll have to find/try the rose...
I am from OR, so I am VERY familiar with AtoZ. They have been producing high-quality, fairly priced wines for years.
On a side note, Greg Popovich, coach of the San Antonio Spurs, is a partner at AtoZ. Back to the wine, though...
Other great wines from AtoZ are pinot noir, pinot gris, and chardonnay (unoaked).
Great juice! Thanks for the review.
Your opening comment is so insightfu--I whole heartedly agree, and it explains why I hear from so many people that they've never had a good rose. Unfortunately the good roses that I've found are > or = $20. My favorite of the summer is the mas de gourgonnier--if you can find it, you won't regret it. I've heard from others that the A to Z is good, but haven't been able to find it locally.
Cheers
I also enjoy the A to Z Pinot.
Anyone that knows my husband & I know that we love dry rose'. You're so right...when they're good, they're wonderful, but when they suck...well, you said it. Luckily, we almost always get the opportunity to taste before we buy, so unless something is wrong with that bottle, we're good.
I've never seen this particular rose' around town, but I'll keep an eye out for the next vintage. We just bought a crapload of wine on our recent trip to Paso Robles, & we picked up a few roses to carry us through the season.
Isn't it funny how variable they can be? Will be eager to read how you like those Paso Robles wines, Claire. I think that's one of the most exciting wine regions to explore these days. And Kevin, I'm going to get a mixed case of A to Z wines and try some of those you recommend. Thanks.
Post a Comment