It’s that time of year… Yes, it’s Rosé season!. With that in mind, I’ve embarked upon a   series of weekly “Drink Pink!“ Rosé tastings.  This week’s Rosé is the 2012 Quivira Grenache Rosé Dry Creek Valley.

The Winery

Quivira Vineyards and Winery, located in Healdsburg, CA specializes in Zinfandel, Sauvignon, and Rhône varietals.  The Quivira estate is composed of four distinct vineyards in the Dry Creek AVA – Wine Creek Ranch, Goat Trek Vineyard, Katz/Absner Ranch, and Anderson Ranch – a total of 93 acres of vineyards.

In the 16th to 18th centuries, the area we know as Sonoma County appeared on European maps as a mythical kingdom called “Quivira” whose streets were said to be paved with gold. Today, the region’s “gold” is the acres of grapevines that thrive there.

Quivira has been Demeter certified Biodynamic® and organic winery since 2005!  In addition to their vineyards, the estate consists of lush biodynamically and organically farmed gardens, a pond, greenhouse, chicken coop and a solar electric system which has supplies all of their electricity.  Produce from the garden is supplies local markets with fresh produce.  Additionally, Quivira offers estate-grown and estate-bottle olive oil and estate honey in their tasting room.

My most recent visit was during Passport to Dry Creek Valley this past April.  We always make it a point to visit Quivira because we love their wines, the tasting experience and checking out the gardens.

The Wine 

By all accounts, 2012 was a vintage to remember. A near perfect growing season left winemakers with a rare combination of bountiful yields and beautiful fruit. The 2012 rosè offers the first glimpse of just what that means in the bottle. A good harvest meant they could be particularly selective, sourcing the fruit entirely from their organic and biodynamically-farmed vineyards and picking at lower sugar levels (21 to 23 Brix) to keep the alcohol level low and the flavors balanced.  The wine is a blend of 51% Grenache, 32% Syrah, and 17% Mourvedre that underwent sur lie aging in both stainless steel and neutral French oak barrels.

My tasting notes follow:

Light red color with grapefruit, strawberry, and watermelon aromas. On the palate, it’s medium-bodied, and dry with crisp acidity, and a wonderfully supple mouthfeel. It shows strawberry, watermelon, citrus, and mineral flavors. Medium long finish.  13.5% alcohol | 602 cases produced| SRP-$19

Rating:  A- This is the third consecutive year I’ve purchased a Rosé from Quivira and it seems to get better each year! Definitely a Top 10 under $20 Rosé contender!

Pair with: A versatile, full-bodied rosè that could stand up to spicy, ethnic fare or smoked meats, but is perfectly suited for its familiar role as an aperitif. Try it with Grilled Salmon with Cucumber Dill Sauce.

Sample purchased for review 

Ratings Key:

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This article is original to ENOFYLZ Wine Blog.com. Copyright 2013 ENOFYLZ Wine Blog. All rights reserved.