DOUBLE-GOLD MEDAL WINNERS

Notorious Pink
2013 Rosé
(Languedoc, France) $20

This wine is made from 100% Grenache grapes grown in the south of France and fermented at very low temperatures.

Aroma: Ripe peaches, plums, stone fruit, pear, star fruit, orange, honey, floral, herbal.

Palate: Plum, stewed plum, red fruit, ripe berries, sweet cherry, watermelon, pear, peach, orange, honey, crisp, clean, good acidity, well balanced.

Finish: Stewed apples, hint of spice, good acidity, very good minerality, gentle, nice.

Double Gold Medal
   

Jamieson Ranch Vineyards
2013 Reata Rosé of Pinot Noir
(Sonoma Coast, CA, U.S.) $24

This wine is produced from Pinot Noir grapes grown in the Carneros area, with five months of aging in oak barrels after vinification.

Aroma: Wild strawberries, soft raspberry, yellow pear, green apple, cotton candy, buttery, floral, pepper, faint mineral, soft leather.

Palate: Strawberry, tart cherry, plummy, red plum, peach, ripe melon, big fruit, creamy, butter, bit peppery, slightly smoky, complex, well balanced.

Finish: White pear, light butter, vanilla, hint of oak, dry, good acidity, great.

Double Gold Medal
   

Château d’Esclans
2013 Côtes de Provence Rosé
(France) $30

For this wine, grapes (primarily Grenache and Vermentino) from the Château d’Esclans estate were harvested from sunrise until noon – with use of only free-run juice from the first pressing and vinified under temperature controlled conditions.

Aroma: Red plum, delicate pear, light strawberry, raspberry, deep berry, green apple, wild flowers, bright minerality.

Palate: Plums, red fruit, tart cherry, apricot, white flowering pear, melon, citrus, vanilla, light butter, oak notes, good minerality, dry, well balanced.

Finish: Rich, soft, creamy, vanilla, oaky, good acidity, well done, beautiful.

Double Gold Medal
   

Ousterhout
2013 800 Vines Vineyard PN Rosé
(Russian River Valley, Sonoma, CA, U.S.) $25

This wine is made from grapes grown in a one-acre vineyard in the Green Valley AVA of the Russian River Valley that is noted for well-drained soil and a temperate climate. Fermentation takes place in cool temperature stainless steel vessels.

Aroma: Berry, field of strawberries, light cherry, pear, watermelon, cantaloupe, apple, honeysuckle blossoms, wild flowers, herbal notes, buttery, creamy, pretty.

Palate: Blackberry, raspberry, berries, green apple, melon, citrus, herbs, nice minerality, bright, balanced acidity.

Finish: Lemon, tart, buttery, creamy, nicely dry.

Double Gold Medal
   

Barton & Guestier
2014 Côtes de Provence Rosé
(France) $12

Made from grapes grown in a high-elevation, certified sustainable vineyard, this wine was processed entirely in stainless steel.

Aroma: Raspberry, strawberry, red plum, fresh watermelon, light red apple, light cherry, white pear, floral, vanilla.

Palate: Strawberry, ripe raspberry, tart berry, red plum, white grape, melon, light citrus, Old World, beautiful, delicate, easy drinking.

Finish: Fruity, hint of watermelon, good acidity, linear, good length.

Double Gold Medal
   

GOLD MEDAL WINNERS:


Trump Winery
2013 Rosé Monticello
(Virginia, U.S.) $15

Crafted from a blend of grapes – Merlot (44%), Cabernet Franc (35%) and Cabernet Sauvignon (21%) – grown in the foothills of Carter’s Mountain in Blue Ridge, Virginia; fermentation takes place at a low temperature in stainless steel tanks.

Aroma: Wild berries, red apple, herbal, floral, slight honey notes, vanilla, clean.

Palate: Wild berries, berry jam, plummy, sweet cherry, citrus, herbal notes, oak, clean, balanced acidity, well balanced, delicate, great with food.

Finish: Light pear, light ruby grapefruit, lemon, little tart, clean, full.

Gold Medal
   

Chateau de Berne
2014 Côtes de Provence Rosé
(France) $25

This sustainably-farmed blend of Grenache and Cinsault grapes (packaged in a striking square bottle) was produced on the grounds of a picturesque estate dating from the 18th century.

Aroma: Ripe berries, strawberry, red currant, subtle gooseberry, light mango, peach, pear, grapefruit, orange peel, light citrus, beautiful white flower note, floral, perfumed.

Palate: Berries, strawberry, gooseberry, banana, pink grapefruit, citrus, juicy acidity, crisp, dry, very easy drinking.

Finish: Berry, papaya, grassy, sweet cream, smooth.

Gold Medal
   

Cultivar
2013 Rosé
(Napa Valley CA, U.S.) $17

Made from a blend of grapes grown in Napa Valley (34% Grenache, 22 % Cabernet Sauvignon, 14% Syrah and 4% Sauvignon Blanc), this wine was entirely aged in stainless steel.

Aroma: Raspberry, strawberry, red currant, red apple, peaches, unripe peaches, slight orange peel, citrus, pollen, floral, intense.

Palate: Ripe pear, strawberry, peach, honeycomb note, honey, buttery, velvety smooth, silky, velvety, mineral, off dry, balanced.

Finish: Sweet, fruity, nice, great.

Gold Medal
   

Ousterhout
2013 Woods Vineyard PN Rosé
(Russian River Valley, Sonoma, CA, U.S.) $25

Fruit for this wine is sourced from a tiny vineyard in the southern part of the Russian River Valley that has sandy loamy soil and experiences morning and evening fog, which has a perfect cooling effect on the grapes.

Aroma: Strawberry, gooseberry, berries, red plummy fruit, green apple, lemon, grapefruit, citrus notes, honey, floral, grass, elegant, pretty.

Palate: Red currant, black currant, raspberry, blackberry, citrus, white pear, green apple, slight tart, nice acid.

Finish: White pear, hint of orange peel, citrus, tart, exceptional.

Gold Medal
   

Ousterhout
2013 Pinot Noir Rosé
(Russian River Valley, Sonoma, CA, U.S.) $25

This wine is a blend of grapes from three different well-established Russian River Valley vineyards, fermented over 14 days in cool temperature stainless steel vessels.

Aroma: Red currant, tart cherry, strawberry, hint of raspberry, red tropical fruit, light watermelon, very fruity, honeyed, slightly floral, mineral notes, oak.

Palate: Ripe peaches, tart cherry, green apple, melon, watermelon, grapefruit, light citrus, honeyed, soft, crisp, good minerality, dry.

Finish: Slightly buttery, soft cream, tart, dry, mineral.

Gold Medal
   

Chêne Bleu
2013 Rosé
(Vaucluse, France) $27

Harvested from a vineyard at the crossroads of four Rhône appellations with very stony, clay and limestone soil, the grapes – a blend of Grenache (65%), Syrah (30%) and Cinsault (5%) – were cold fermented for five weeks, with the wine aged in oak barrels for three months prior to bottling.

Aroma: Raspberry, strawberry, star fruit, peach, citrus, light watermelon, honeysuckle, light floral, fresh, bright, clean, delicate.

Palate: Raspberry, strawberry, berry, cherry, ripe red plums, Granny Smith apple, orange zest, juicy, tart, dry, clean, balanced.

Finish: Strawberry, just enough acid, mineral, clean, dry, memorable, perfect.

Gold Medal
   

Pedroncelli
2014 Dry Rosé of Zinfandel
(Dry Creek Valley, Sonoma, CA, U.S.) $15

Made from grapes harvested in mid-September in order to favor higher acidity and less sugar, this wine is fermented in temperature-controlled stainless steel tanks.

Aroma: Red berry, red apple, green apple, white grape, pear, raspberries & cream, honeysuckle, hint of hay, earthy.

Palate: Candied berry, strawberry, black currant, papaya, citrus, zesty, silky, delicate, well balanced.

Finish: Light citrus, sour cherry, soft, good acidity.

Gold Medal
   

Mateus
Rosé
(Portugal) $6

This Portuguese brand was created in 1942 and the current version is a blend of an indigenous varietal (Aragonez) and Zinfandel.

Aroma: Red fruit, unripe peach, passion fruit, honeydew melon, honeysuckle.

Palate: Wild berries, raspberry, strawberry, nectarine, peach, ripe banana, honeydew melon, citrus, green pepper, pepper, tart, bit of pettiance.

Finish: Fruity, banana, black pepper notes, smooth.

Gold Medal
   

McPherson Cellars
2013 Les Copains Dry Rosé
(Texas, U.S.) $17

Made from grapes grown in Texas, this wine is a blend of Cinsault (55%), Mouvedre (30%) and Viogner (15%), vinified in downtown Lubbock in a converted 1930’s era Coca Cola bottling plant.

Aroma: Pear, yellow star fruit, wild strawberry, raspberry, stewed plums, dark grape, white sugar, floral notes of rose.

Palate: Strawberry, attractive strawberry preserve, raspberry, sweet cherry, blackberry, blueberry, plum, honeydew melon, grapefruit, citrus, juicy, slight herbal undertones, good acidity, crisp, clean.

Finish: Pear, orange peel, moderate acidity, clean, crisp.

Gold Medal
   

SILVER MEDAL WINNERS:

Muga
2014 Rosado
(Spain) $12

Made from a blend of Garnacha (60%), Viura (30%) and Tempranillo (10%) varietals – grown in vineyards at the foot of the Montes Obarenses within the Rioja Alta – a 25-day maceration of the grapes precedes a 25-day fermentation in 1000 litre barrels.

Aroma: Sweet cherry, jammy, Hawaiian Punch, pears, tart apple, lemongrass, honeysuckle.

Palate: Sweet cherry, red currant, berries, pear, apple rhubarb pie, very fruity, slight lemon, light citrus, beautiful sweet pepper, soft, silky.

Finish: Light lemon creme, citrusy, dry, acidic.

Silver Medal
   

Château Maïme
2013 Côtes de Provence Rosé
(France) $20

The grapes for this wine – a blend of Cinsault (40%), Syrah(30%) and Grenache (30%) from the heart of the Provence wine country – are harvested at night, when the temperatures are cool to maximize fruity bouquet and taste in the final product. Blending takes place following fermentation at 64 degrees F and aging on the yeast.

Aroma: Muted strawberry, mixed berries, blood orange, hint of pear, light lemongrass, floral, herbs, cinnamon.

Palate: Peach, pear, guava, strawberry, berries, sweet cherry, muscat, red plum, fruit compote, good acid.

Finish: Delicate pear, floral, creamy, peppery, mineral, crisp.

Silver Medal