It was an early heat wave yesterday in Sonoma County with the temperature hitting 100 in the late afternoon. It was an evening for chillin and that is literally what we did. Chilled salad, Chilled hunk of Smoked Wild King Salmon and a couple glasses of Chilled 2019 Idlewild Flora & Fauna Rosé. Always one of our favorite Rosé, this one stands out even more in a good way. Some background on the wine:
For 2019, the rosé is a co-fermented blend of 37% Dolcetto, 36% Nebbiolo, and 27% Barbera. This is an unconventional idea for Nebbiolo, Dolcetto, and Barbera to be co-fermented for a rosé. It should be noted that these grapes ripen at very different times. But in this case, they were all picked together at the moment when their different qualities and stages of ripeness came together and were complimentary.
Color is a burnished copper, a touch darker compared to 2018. Lovely aromatics and flavors of tangerine, mandarin, Blood orange, fennel and tarragon. Stony minerality and mouthwatering acidity lead to a long citrus pith finish. Fantastic Rosé. Past vintages have been very savory and fruit well in the background, the 2019 keeps those savory notes in spades along with a bit more upfront fruit making this a layered complete package. Tasting this you can sense the roles that the Dolcetto, Barbera and Nebbiolo are playing.
You can pound this now but I’m buying a bunch and laying some down for a year or three. Unlike many Rosé, it has the structure and fruit to develop even more. 11.9 ABV.
