11 Jun Please The Palate Pick of the Week: National Rosé Day and 5 Beautiful Rosé Wines

Summer is here and it is time to celebrate everything pink! It’s National Rosé Day! Held every year on the second Saturday in June (this year falling on June 11), National Rosé Day was started by Swedish Rosé house Bodvár to pay homage to this glorious summertime wine. While I love a good glass of Rosé any day of the year, I love a day dedicated to celebrating this beautiful wine and that is why National Rosé Day is the Please The Palate pick of the week. Of course, I never need an excuse to open a fresh bottle of rosé and there are so many to choose from. So, here are five Rosé Wines I have been enjoying! Bouchaine 2021 Vin Gris of Pinot Noir ($29) Bouchaine, a leading producer of sustainably farmed vineyards in the Carneros AVA, was founded in 1981 by Gerrett and Tatiana Copeland. Influenced by the San Pablo Bay, the cool breezes and fog result in wines with vivid energy. This Vin Gris of Pinot Noir is no exception. Winemaker Chris Kajani did 85% whole cluster pressed and 15% saignée (bleeding off) for this wine. The juice was fermented in tank and the wine sees no oak contact. The wine has fresh aromatics of watermelon, strawberry, white nectarine, and guava. The fresh aromatics lead to a vibrant acidity on the palate. Lucy 2021 Rosé of Pinot Noir ($22) Made by the Pisoni brothers Jeff and Mark, Lucy is the younger sister brand of Lucia Wines. Created in 2003, Lucy Rosé of Pinot Noir donated $1 for every bottle sold to breast cancer research and has raised over $125,000.00 to date. That is an added reason to drink this refreshing, delicate rosé. The Pinot Noir grapes are sourced in the Santa Lucia Highlands. The wine is a combination of whole cluster pressing and saignée. After fermentation, the wine is aged for three months in neutral oak. With fresh notes of strawberry, watermelon, nectarine, rose petals, and wet rocks on the nose, the wine is delicate and fresh on the palate. Center of Effort 2021 Grenache Rosé, Edna Valley ($26) Located in the Edna Valley, Center of Effort is owned by Bill and Cheryl Swanson. The name Center of Effort references a sailing term which is the point on the sail where the forces come together and act as a whole. The grapes for this wine are sourced from the estate vineyard. The grapes are hand harvested and undergo direct press. Fermentation takes place in concrete vessels and bottled after four months. The wine is a blend of 87% Grenache, 11% Syrah, and 2% Mourvedre. It is a pale pink color and has a vibrant nose with notes of raspberry, strawberry, and lemon. On the palate, the wine is crisp and refreshing. Fossil Point 2021 Grenache Rosé, Arroyo Grande ($18) Fossil Point is a second label from Center of Effort. For this wine, which is a blend of 93% Grenache, 5% Syrah, and 2% Mourvedre, the grapes are sourced from the estate vineyard as well as local sustainably-farmed vineyards. The grapes are hand-harvested, go direct to press, and then are fermented in stainless steel. The nose of this wine has notes of lemon, grapefruit, and strawberries. The vibrant nose leads to a vibrant palate with fresh acidity. Lang & Reed 2021 Rosé Cabernet Franc, Napa Valley ($40) Lang & Reed was established in 1996 by Tracey and John Skupny as as Cabernet Franc house. During their second harvest in 1997, they made a small amount of rosé from the Cabernet Franc and proceeded to make two barrels of rosé for the next eight years. Two decades later, they decided to make rosé again in the 2021 vintage. The fruit was sourced from the Sugarloaf Mountain Vineyard located in the southwest corner of the Napa Valley. Skupny has been working with this vineyard since 2007 and took one barrel (30 cases) this year to make rosé. The wine is 100% saignée and spends three months in a stainless steel barrel. A deep pink color, the wine has strawberry and raspberry aromas, as well as hints of fresh garden herbs. On the palate, the wine has intense acidity but there is also a meatiness to the wine which means it will stand up to food. So, raise a glass to rosé and check out these are five phenomenal rosé wines!