Last Week's Tasting Notes

​Gothic Telltale Pinot Noir Rosé ($16.99)
Oregon
From the producer:
"Named after the thrilling Edgar Allan Poe story, The Tell-Tale Heart, this wine is an assemblage of fruit from vineyards throughout the Willamette Valley. Telltale owes its pale pink hue to a brief saignée of Pinot Noir. Flavors of fresh, wild berries and cherry blossoms are joined by refreshing acidity."

From me:
A lot of people tell me, sheepishly, that they often choose wine by the label. I freely admit that I did just the same when bringing this wine into the store. Since my area of literary expertise is in Gothic literature, I suppose it's more accurate to say that I brought it in for the name. It turns out to be a gorgeous, luscious, elegant rosé. The wine exhibits nearly prefect balance between fruit and acidity, with a little bit of body and a delightful floral note.

Damiani Dry Rosé ($17.99)
New York-Finger Lakes
From the producer:
"This 100% Pinot Noir Rosé is a beautiful, rich, salmon pink color. Clean aromatics evoke distinct Finger Lakes minerality with an abundance of fragrant floral notes. A playful, tropical bouquet of banana & honeysuckle blends with intensely ripe strawberries on the nose, leading to a flavor profile with subtle red fruits and refreshing acidity. Pair this rosé with lightly grilled lemon shrimp accompanied by a watermelon or beet salad topped with feta cheese."

From me:
This spring I took my first trip to the Finger Lakes for wine tasting, and I visited 13 wineries over two days. I had a lot of wine that was just okay, but nothing great. Damiani was one of the vineyards that I really liked, though, and in part it was because of this wine. I even bought a bottle for myself to take home. It's well-crafted, balanced, and light without losing the character of the Pinot Noir. This is one of the best rosés I've had from New York.

Owen Roe Sharecropper's Pinot Noir ($20.99)
Oregon
From the producer:
"During the economic recession of 2001, and Owen Roe’s first couple vintages as a winery, NW growers were facing hardship in selling their fruit, come harvest time. At Owen Roe, we wanted to help our farming friends and prevent missing out on such well-tended, beautiful fruit. We were presented with the difficult and costly purchasing of grapes to process, cellar and bottle, waiting several months to recover our costs on the finished wine.
To overcome this obstacle, we decided to bring back the historical business practice of sharecropping, resulting in the aptly named wine, “Sharecropper’s.” This partnership meant that Owen Roe would take the fruit, make the wine and once it was sold, share the profits with our growers. This remains an important part of our history and due to the success of this wine; we are now able to pay our growers upfront. 
The 2014 Sharecropper’s is a vintage that will surely shock and amaze you. This Pinot Noir exudes bold dark fruit flavors and spice to please every palate. The Willamette Valley benefited from a warm growing season which made for relatively high sugar and phenolic ripeness, as well as an abundant crop. This vintage is a staff favorite; try a bottle tonight with grilled cedar plank salmon and it’s easy to see why."

From me:
Pinot Noir is notoriously difficult to grow--I call it the diva of grapes. Right now Oregon has a perfect climate for it, though, and the wines coming out of the state are superb. This one is no exception. Warm, a little oaky, smooth, and easy to drink, Sharecropper's is a fantastic wine at a great price.