I have a secret to share. Every time I grab a bottle of Rosé I start singing a song in my head. It’s the music of Blue Oyster Cult’s “Don’t Fear the Reaper” but the lyric is changed to “Don’t Fear the Rosé.” I don’t know how that started or why I keep doing it. It actually kind of annoys me, but it happens every time. I guess, in a way, it’s a message I want to send to wine drinkers who avoid Rosé. It can actually be a fun and interesting wine. It’s not all disgusting, cheap White Zinfandel.
This is a bottle we got as a sample from Terra d’Oro and I was glad to see it for a couple reasons. For one, we don’t get many Rosé samples. In fact, I think this is the first Rosé review to be published on this site in our three years of existence. **Side note: We just turned three at the beginning of June. I forgot to celebrate. Yay, us.** OK, back to why I was happy to get this Rosé. So, another thing that makes this wine really intriguing to me is that it’s made from mostly Nebbiolo grapes—and I’m nuts about Nebbiolo.
Nebbiolo is best know as the grape used to produce Barolo and Barbaresco, two exceptional (and expensive) types of wine from Piedmont, Italy. Prior to this, I had never tasted a Rosé-style Nebbiolo. And to make it even more intriguing, Nebbiolo is rarely grown outside of Piedmont, but the grapes in this wine were grown in Amador County, California. So, this is a unique wine in a couple ways.
On the nose, there’s not much to this wine. It’s tight and simple, with only light melon, pear and cranberry aromas. It’s pleasant, but rather subtle. Even after giving it plenty of time to open up. The palate, however, is little more rewarding with light apple, cranberry and lime flavors. It’s just slightly off-dry. I would have liked a touch more acidity, but it’s acceptable. I can’t say it’s the most exciting or interesting rose I’ve ever tasted, but it’s still solid and enjoyable.
It didn’t quite live up to the hype I had created in my mind before tasting it, but it’s still fun to taste a Nebbiolo-based Rosé. And I would buy this wine for that reason alone.
Wine: Terra d’Oro Amador County Rosé
Variety: Rosé
Vintage: 2008
Alcohol: 12.5%
Rating: 84
Price: $14.00
Find Terra d’Oro Amador County Rosé with Snooth
Disclosure: This wine was received as a sample.