Last month, I invited a few writers here in Houston to my house for what I believe to be the largest annual blind tasting of American True Rosés in the country.
What, one might ask, is a “True Rosé“?
Well, there are essentially three ways to make a rosé wine. The first, which is rarely practiced outside of sparkling wine production, is a simple blend of red wine and white wine. The second, which is widely practiced around the world, is called the “Saignée Method” where shortly after a red grape crush, a portion of the grape juice (after brief contact with the skins) is bled off (“saignée” means “bled” in French). This bled-off wine is then vinified as if it were a white wine.
The third option is what I call a “True Rosé.” In this process, the grapes are raised, picked, and processed with the idea of making rosé in mind. True Rosés are therefore not a byproduct of red wine production, they are intentionally or purposefully made. They are True Rosés.
A couple of years ago, a few days before The World’s Largest Blind Tasting of American True Rosés I got into a rather heated argument on Twitter with two Master Sommeliers worlds away (one, who literally wrote a book on rosé, was in the UK and the other, who made a rosé by blending red and white wine [a practice that is practically unheard of outside of Champagne] was in Australia). They both took exception to my use of the term “True Rosé” to characterize an approach to making rosé that otherwise does not have an agreed-upon term to describe it.
As I have mentioned before, the term saignée is largely understood and accepted to describe what a True Rosé is not. (For those just joining, a saignée rosé is a byproduct of red wine production where, after a brief maceration, a portion of the juice is “bled off.” Until relatively recently, that bled-off juice was either sold off as bulk wine or simply let run down the drain. This is done to further concentrate the remaining juice on the skins and today, to make a rather quick rosé. The problem is that the juice was intended to make red wine and is thus often a bit lacking in acidity which is perhaps the defining characteristic of a good rosé.)
Their collective contention? By using the adjective “true” I was inherently implying that all other rosés were “false.” While I understand their position, I tried to explain (and by their responses, it was largely unsuccessful) that the word “true” has many definitions such as an “ideal” (true love) or “consistent” (true to character) or even “narrow” (in the truest sense).
They did not seem swayed by my argument as they remained fixated on “if something is not true, then it must be false.” In a desperate attempt, I mentioned the concept of a bicycle wheel being “true” or “out of true” but that landed like a lead zeppelin.
Look, there are really good, even outstanding saignées out there (one of my absolute favorite rosés is a saignée—Tongue Dancer by James MacPhail), but all other factors being equal, there is no doubt in my mind that rosés that are made intentionally, id est, a True Rosé, are better than those that are byproducts of red wine production.
Feel free to argue with me. Everyone has a right to their own opinion, no matter how wrong it might be.
Last month, four of us tried 51 American Rosés, trying to find the best. As promised, I am publishing my actual notes from the tasting, which we tasted in 13 flights of four wines. Here are flights 10-11:
*2024 The Calling Pinot Noir Rosé Fox Den Vineyard, Russian River Valley, CA: Retail $45. Very Responsible Bottle (483g; 17.0oz). True Rosé. Medium to maybe a bit dark in color but certainly within the “typical” range. Peachy, a bit earthy or even woodsy on the nose. Wonderful on the palate, fruity, tart, balanced, a bit of minerality, a nice rosé. Outstanding. 93 Points.
2025 Pisoni Family Vineyards Lucy Rosé of Pinot Noir, Santa Lucia Highlands, CA: Retail $24. Very Responsible Bottle (495g; 17.5oz). A combination of True Rosé and Saignée. Brilliant orange-ish pink with an outstanding nose: strawberry, peach, melon, a bit of a fruit basket nose. Mmmm. Lovely on the palate with rich, ripe fruit, more than ample acidity, and just a luscious, ripe, wine. Outstanding. 94 Points.
2024 Van Duzer Pinot Noir Rosé, Willamette Valley, OR: Retail $25. Very Responsible Bottle (494g; 17.4oz). True Rosé. Beautiful, orage-ish pink, with really intense melon on the nose with a touch of minerality and even some earth. Tons of fruit on the palate, as well, rich and weighty, with plenty of acidity to back it up. Very Nice. Outstanding. 93 Points.
*2024 The Walls Vineyards Cruel Summer, Columbia Gorge, WA: Retail $35. Very Heavy Bottle (709g; 25.0oz). True Rosé. 100% Grenache. Another classic color with an orange tint. And a lovely nose: strawberry and rhubarb at the fore. A bit shy and lacking fruit, honestly, on the palate. Excellent. 90 Points.
**2025 Browne Family Vineyards Gigi’s Garden Rosé, Columbia Valley, WA: Retail $20 (1-liter). Very Responsible Bottle (422g; 14.9oz). I could not find the varietal composition anywhere. Light to medium color with a luscious fruity nose with tons of cherry and a hint of strawberry. Lovely fruit, once again on the palate with acidity that verges on intense, whoa. Another great rosé, really fantastic. Outstanding. 95 Points.
**2024 Decoy Rosé, California: Retail $20. Under screw cap. 63% Syrah, 16% Carignan, 11% Vermentino, 10% Grenache. Medium to dark in color with some fruit, but more of a nutty vibe but plenty of peach and a touch of apricot on the nose. The palate? Once again, this is my kind of rose. Sure, the fruit is at the fore and fantastic, but there is more here; body, weight, balance, a bit chalky, but oh, so good. Outstanding. 95 Points.
2025 Big Table Farm Laughing Pig Rosé, Willamette Valley, OR: Retail $36. Very Responsible Bottle (444g; 15.7oz). After reading the reviews for this wine online and noting that it is distributed by Skurnik, I have to assume that this was a bad bottle, it was not good. Luckily, they sent me two bottles and I will try the other bottle this weekend and get back to you. So for now? Unrated.
2024 Michael-David Vineyards Rosé, Lodi, CA: Retail $22. Extremely Heavy Bottle (804g; 28.3oz). Syrah, Cabernet Franc, Merlot. Medium to light, maybe? With tons of melon on the nose. Not terrible; there is plenty of acid, for sure, but the fruit is definitely lacking and there is nothing to keep up with all of that acid. Very Good. 88 Points.
Note: Wines with one asterisk (*) were second bottles from last year’s tasting. Wines with two asterisks (**) I actually purchased to include in the tasting.
the drunken cyclist 