“Rosés are some of
the easiest wines to like for their fresh, fruity flavors and their crisp
appeal. They can match well with a wide variety of Mediterranean cuisines, from
roasted fish to poultry."
–Kim Marcus, managing editor, Wine Spectator, from the video "Summer Pinks"
–Kim Marcus, managing editor, Wine Spectator, from the video "Summer Pinks"
People ask why I pour wine and
I continue to answer, “It’s fun. Meeting people and talking wine never
gets old and it exposes me to wines I might otherwise walk past. This Malene rose is a good example. Great
wine. Nondescript label. And with so many wines
displayed on the shelves of larger retail outlets, it’s easy to walk past
something unfamiliar.
Last August at the Medinah Country
Club, I poured five wines, this being one of them. With summer eventually coming again despite
current temps, I’m reminded of rose and this one in particular. And I’m reminded too that walking past this
one ‘twould be a pity. It was one of the
best rose wines I’ve ever tasted. And
it’s from California’s cool Central Coast, not Provence or Tavel or other areas
that serious wine people justly admire.
Malene Rose is a blend of five
grapes.
59% Grenache
13% Cinsault
13% Vermentino
12% Mourvedre
3% Counoise
The blend is not for show or to grab
your attention. It’s not even printed on
the back label. It is for taste, and
taste well this wine it does. This is classically made wine. Grapes are
hand-picked and hand sorted in the cool early morning temperatures of harvest
day. 80% is whole cluster pressed with
the balance having 24 hours of skin contact.
Pressing is very gentle; similar, in fact, to that used in Champagne in
order that skin extraction is minimized. Fermentation is at cool temperatures
to preserve freshness, fruit and aromatics as well as varietal character. It –
and aging – involve tank (74%), oak puncheons (19%) and 1200-gallon French oak
Foudre (7%) adding complexity in texture and taste. Prior to blending, the wines are aged for six
months on the lees in their respective vessels which adds to both complexity
and mouthfeel. And there’s more, but
you’re more interested in drinking the wine than making it.
I suggest you do. Light pink in the glass, it is everything
you
want in a dry rose: mouth filling, creamy textured yet crisp. Seductive notes
of rose petal on the nose. A complex wine. Honeydew and strawberry aromatics
contributed from the Grenache. Weight is balanced by the Vermentino and offers lift
and notes of white flower and lychee. Mourvedre imparts a savory character and
a flinty minerality contributing to the wine’s length on the palate. Cinsault
adds additional fruit (strawberry, cherry) and a zesty freshness. The wine delights with limestone minerality.
Its finish is crisp and cleansing.
The blend was adjusted for 2017. This is a common practice in winemaking, necessitated
by a season’s weather and its impact upon the harvest. Such fine tuning is a
testament to both the winemaker’s skill and palate and his/her commitment to producing
a quality blend. Most adjustments are
typically within plus or minus 7%.
Having made an effort myself at blending wine, I learned that little
changes make big differences. For
2017, the blend was:
53% Grenache
19% Mourvedre
16% Cinsault
13% Vermentino (Rolle)
5% Syrah
Malene has to be dedicated to making
exceptional rose. It’s the only wine
they make. Its name is inspired by the
semi-precious gen tourmaline which exhibits a watermelon-pink hue, like the
wine itself.
Cheers!
……………. Jim
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TECH
SPECS:
ARP: $20.
ALC: 13.1%
PH: 3.25
TA: 6.6g/L
Appellations
45% Santa
Ynez Vlly
29% Paso
Robles
13% Rus
Rvr Vlly
10% Monterey
3% Edna
Vlly
91 Points Wine Enthusiast
Malene
Wines: https://www.malenewines.com/
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