Welcome the Season with Arnot-Roberts' Fan Favorite Rosé
Here comes the sun, and along with it one of our favorite newsletter traditions: Arnot-Roberts' juicy, crunchy, salty, elegantly-slurpable and totally-delicious rosé!
Duncan Arnot and Nathan Lee Roberts are two winemakers we have written about extensively. For 20 years they have been at the forefront of the “New California” wine movement: one which places the tenets of balance and terroir above popularity contests and high octane wines. Their rosé is no different.
We feel like it's the perfect calling card for those yet uninitiated into their house style, and showcases the barely-tapped potential of California wines. This serious, dry and complex rosé is closer to the great pinks of Bandol than the unfortunate OG of California pink, White Zinfandel. If that sweetish plonk, made by mistake and marketed to death, represents “Old California”, A-R's rosé clearly demonstrates its future.
Duncan Arnot and Nathan Lee Roberts are two winemakers we have written about extensively. For 20 years they have been at the forefront of the “New California” wine movement: one which places the tenets of balance and terroir above popularity contests and high octane wines. Their rosé is no different.
We feel like it's the perfect calling card for those yet uninitiated into their house style, and showcases the barely-tapped potential of California wines. This serious, dry and complex rosé is closer to the great pinks of Bandol than the unfortunate OG of California pink, White Zinfandel. If that sweetish plonk, made by mistake and marketed to death, represents “Old California”, A-R's rosé clearly demonstrates its future.
The blend varies slightly from year to year, but the main variety is always Touriga Nacional — a Port variety — grown at two unique sites well suited to its optimal development. Luchsinger vineyard is an ancient alluvial, volcanic riverbed at 1,400 feet, and St Amant vineyard features sandy, decomposed, granitic soils in the Sierra Nevada foothills. Both sites have warm days but cool nights, allowing for the long growing seasons needed to ripen Tourgia Nacional while still retaining acid.
Cellar work follows the same careful attention to detail as their single vineyard wines. Grapes are lightly stomped, settled for 30 minutes and then gently pressed. All fermentations are with native yeasts for maximum character, malolactic is not stopped, and it's aged in stainless steel to retain its tart berry profile.
The only issue we ever have with this wine is its ability to sell out too quickly. This year we should have enough to fulfill all requests so let us know how many bottles you’d like.
Arnot-Roberts, California Rosé, 2020
Crisp watermelon, salty breezes and sun-warmed strawberries dominate the flavor profile here; although this wine is delightfully guzzle-able, there's a complexity here worth savoring.