Sonoma County Rosés for the 4th
By Virginie Boone
The final wording of the Declaration of Independence was approved by the Continental Congress on July 4, 1776. Independence Day didn’t become a national holiday until 1870, nearly 100 years later.
Chief author and our third president, Thomas Jefferson, a noted Francophile, wine drinker and grower of wine grapes in his home state of Virginia, recognized the potential for great wine to be made in the United States early on.
“Wine being among the earliest luxuries in which we indulge ourselves, it is desirable it should be made here, and we have every soil, aspect, and climate of the best wine countries,” he wrote in 1811.
This July 4 holiday, raise a glass to our most wine-loving founding father with a bottle or two of locally grown and produced Rosé, and make a toast to our independence.
From the sparkling specialist comes this still wine sourced from its estate Morningsong Vineyards in Dry Creek Valley, a Rhone blend of Syrah, Grenache and Mourvedre that’s dry and delicious. Is there also a sparkling Tres? Yes, there is. Ashley Herzberg makes the wines.
Benovia 2024 Rosé of Pinot Noir
The 20th vintage of this wine, winemaker Mike Sullivan selects one block of the winery’s Russian River Valley Martaella Estate Vineyard, then harvests the grapes early to make this intentional Rosé, fermenting the juice in French oak for memorable texture. He says he often pairs it with a book on the porch in summer. Good advice.
Blue Farm 2024 Rosé of Pinot Noir
From Sonoma Coast grapes farmed by winegrower/founder Anne Moller-Racke, this is a Saignée that’s barrel-fermented and aged in neutral French oak, remarkably complex and unfussy at the same time.
Bricoleur 2023 Rosé of Grenache
From the winery’s estate Kick Ranch Vineyards in the Fountaingrove District, this exudes all of Grenache’s charms, from juicy watermelon to bundles of just-picked raspberries. Bob Cabral, Cary Gott and Tom Pierson make the wines.
Convene 2024 Rosé of Pinot Noir
Dan Kosta and winemaker Shane Finley offer a Russian River Valley beauty that’s bright and crisp, made from Bianchi-Sanchietti, stainless-steel fermented for optimal freshness.
Dutton-Goldfield Rosé of Pinot Noir
Winemaker Melissa Stackhouse sourced grapes from across several Green Valley sites to make a crisp, structured and sophisticated offering that’s full of mineral-driven acidity, foot-trodding some before stainless-steel fermenting to coax as much flavor and aroma as possible.
Blending 31% Grenache, 31% Mourvedre, 31% Syrah and 7% Grenache Blanc from Russian River Valley, the grapes are grown on both the Limerick Lane estate and at Front Porch Farm. Winemaker Chris Pittinger has made a refreshing, balanced wine that tastes like fresh peach and strawberry and screams summer all day long.
Lynmar 2024 Rosé of Pinot Noir
A perennial knockout, winemaker Pete Soergel picks from across the winery’s estate vineyards to create a fresh, fruity and delightfully delicious wine that’s great all year round, but particularly irresistible in summer.
MacRostie 2024 Rosé of Pinot Noir
Sourced from the winery’s own Sonoma Coast Thale’s Estate Vineyard, this is like a bowl of fresh berries in a glass, slightly dark in color with texture and tension for days.
Three Sticks 2024 Casteñada Rosé
Named to honor the original owner of the winery’s Adobe house in Sonoma, Don Juan Casteñada, winemaker Ryan Prichard putting together a field blend of Rhone grapes from Durell Vineyard to make an elegantly complex, citrus-tinged wine of impressive structure and length.
Trombetta 2024 Rosé of Pinot Noir
Winemaker Erica Stancliff and mom Rickey Trombetta make a range of Sonoma County wines that deliver plenty of flavor, nuance and elegance. This one’s got all that but is fine for summer sipping, too, intoxicatingly aromatic in hibiscus and rose.
Image by: MacRostie Winery
