I’m starting to really like roses. I think it started with sparkling rose, which I pretty early on took to have more complexity–and, well, oomph–than blanc de blancs and blanc de noirs sparkling. Part of me is still the macho guy who isn’t 100% comfortable drinking a pink wine, but some of them are just so damn good, that it doesn’t matter.
Take this sangiovese rose, for instance. Made from sangio grapes grown in the French Camp Vineyard in the Paso Robles AVA, it is a rose unto itself.
First off, the wine isn’t particularly pink; it’s more of an orange, or a “pale red.” I know what you’re saying to yourself—“pale red” is pink, Steve!—and really, you’re not wrong. It just doesn’t really look pink in the glass, hence the distinction—even if it is silly, and even if it isn’t really accurate—of calling it “pale red.”
The nose on this wine just screams “summer!” It features notes of bright strawberry, apricot, and peach. The wine is light bodied, crisp and refreshing, would be even moreso in a deep chill I think. The dominant notes on the palate are peach and strawberry.
The wine isn’t incredibly complex or anything. It’s not a blow-you-away wine. What it is, is incredibly delicious. Do like I did, get over your aversion to pink wine (assuming you have one), and give this Central Coaster a shot. It’s perfect for a hot summer day.
Verdict: 88/100