July 2009

Lars1

The Taste to Learn meeting was on July 18, 2009 at Lars and Lanna Vedvick’s home in Bremerton.  There were 17 members tasting Rosé wine.  Wines were judged on a 20 point scale using the UC Davis wine judging sheet.

Wine traits:  Rosé [roh-ZAY], French for “pink” or rose-colored.”  Rosé wines are typically made from red grapes. The juice is drained from the skins soon after the crush resulting in a light colored wine. Aromas and tastes include berries and melons and a hint of citrus. Many people find rosé wines’ crispness and lightness very refreshing in hot weather, leading to them being called “summer wines.”Lars2

A benchmark Rosé was presented for analysis so the participants could familiarize themselves with the traits expected in a Rosé. The judging sheet has ratings for smell and flavor typical of the variety. Because Rosé can be made from any red grapes, it was important for judging that participants knew in advance which variety of grapes the Rosé was made from. So, Lars revealed the grapes the Rosé was made from but did not reveal any other information until the tasting was done.

There wines made from a variety of red grapes; PinotNoir, Sangiovese, Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, etc. It was beautiful day to taste wines on an outdoor deck with a beautiful views. The following are the top 4 out of 10 rated by the group.

1st
Jones of Washington
2008 Rosé of Syrah
“Sugar & Spice”
Columbia Valley Washington
13.5% Alc
$11
290 pts

2nd
Folie a Deux
2008 Ménage à Trois Rosé
Merlot, Syrah and Gewurztraminer
Napa California
13.5% Alc
$8.95
289 pts

3rd
Columbia Crest
Two Vines Vineyard 10 Rosé
Columbia Valley Washington
12.5% Alc
$5.99
271.5 pts

4th
Barnard Griffin
2008 Rose of Sangiovese
Columbia Valley Washington
12.5 % Alc
$10
258.5 pts