Thursday, September 1, 2016

Ellipsis 2015 Rosé of Pinot Meunier, Sonoma Coast

Ellipsis Rosé of Pinot Meunier

The gray clouds of September are billowing in. There’s a noticeable drop in the temperature. Could this be the end of rosé weather? Goodness, we hope not.

Sonoma Rosé Rising

When the sun is blistering and the humidity is withering, conditions demand chilled rosé. We’ve had our share of that weather in northwest Ohio this summer. I got another blast of heat during my recent trip to Lodi, California.

Rosé is like a sip of water from the oasis after crawling across the desert sand. A mere taste rejuvenates the mind and body.

For good rosé, France has a deservedly sterling reputation. For those with a patriotic bent, or simply know great wine, scrumptious rosé can be found much closer to home – in California’s Sonoma County.

Uncommon Ellipsis

You are no doubt familiar with Pinot Noir, Pinot Grigio and perhaps Pinot Blanc. The star grape in the Ellipsis rosé is also a Pinot, but one you may not recognize. Pinot Meunier is one of the three main grapes in Champagne (the others being Chardonnay and Pinot Noir). Pinot Meunier contributes fruitiness and body to French bubbly.

In the Ellipsis Wine Company rosé, Pinot Meunier grapes are sourced from a Sonoma County AVA vineyard quite close to the famed Russian River Valley. The wine also includes 5% Zinfandel and 5% Syrah.

Ellipsis shows the high style of SonomaThe grapes were picked, left on the skins for a mere two hours and then pressed into steel tanks. Contact with the skins is what imparts a red wine’s color, with a much shorter contact time, the result is an amazing strawberry pink color.

On the palate this is light-medium in body, a bit more substantial than I expected. This gives a nice weight as you enjoy juicy watermelon and strawberry flavors. It is complex and crisp, not a pair of words usually found together in a description of rosé. The flavors become more intriguing as the wine loses its chill.

The Ellipsis rosé is a wine that is food friendly and is a good candidate for your table no matter the season. At an SRP of $25, it is a sophisticated bottle with beaucoup charm.

Note: I tasted this wine during a Wine Studio educational program.

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