06 Nov Please The Palate Wine of the Week: Tabalipa Wine Co. 2023 No. 1 Rosé, Living Life Vineyards, Santa Ynez

Just because summer is over does not mean drinking Rosé is over. I think Rosé can, and should, be drunk year round. So for dinner this week I opened the 2023 Rosé of Syrah from Tabalipa Wine Co. 2023 in Santa Ynez. And guess what? It is the Please The Palate wine of the week.

About

Brazilian born Paula Tabalipa left Brazil at the age of 14. With a passion for nature, travel, and food, she moved to California. She was a costume designer for 17 years but, due to her love of food, she went to culinary school and staged in restaurants. In 2018 Paula and her husband Michael Greenberg purchased a vineyard in Santa Ynez. The property was the Hampton Vineyard, planted by Dale Hampton in the 1970s. Located on Roblar Road in Santa Ynez, the 30-acre vineyard had 18 acres of Syrah planted. Sadly, the vineyard was in different hands over the years and had not been taken care of.

The initial plan was to retire, but Paula was not ready to retire. In addition, Paula was intrigued by the history of the vineyard. She heard stories about the old Hampton Vineyard and wanted to learn as much as possible about Syrah. With the help of Coastal Vineyards, Paula brought the vineyard back to life and changed the name to Living Life Vineyard.  Paula is learning as much as she can. She went to UC Davis for winemaking and is learning a lot from winemaker Brandon Sparks-Gillis from Dragonette Cellars who makes her wines. The first vintage was in 2022 with a 2022 Rosé of Syrah, as well as a red 2022 Syrah.

Tasting Notes

The 2023 Rosé of Syrah is the second vintage of Tabalipa Wine Co. The grapes were destemmed, pressed, and sat on the skins for two hours. The wine was fermented in tank and aged in neutral barrel for seven months. The wine is an apricot orange color with aromas of ripe red fruits and berries. On the palate, the wine is rounded and textured on the midpalate with vibrant acidity.

Food Pairing

This Rosé of Syrah is a very easy wine to pair with food. It has the texture and body to match grilled fish, chicken, and even lamb. It has the acidity to contrast the fat of food. And the wine’s lingering finish means that the wine does not get overpowered by the food. I enjoyed the wine with grilled lemon-basil marinated chicken breasts with asparagus and salad.

Where To Purchase

Tabalipa Wine Co. 2023 Rosé of Syrah, Living Life Vineyards retails for $48. It can be purchased on the Tabalipa Wine Co. website.