The Power of Pink Wine: This $25 Bottle Proves Rosé Is Not Just for Summer

A friend of mine in New York, a man who earns an appreciable amount of money as a banker, once told me, proudly: “I don’t drink white wine, because everyone knows they are no good; I drink red only.” Well, that was about a decade ago, and I am happy to report that, not long after David professed his disdain for anything but red, I showed him the error of his ways.

He is now a Riesling collector, and drinks it as often as he drink his beloved California Cabernets. I have even convinced him that pink is not for backyard parties only, and his rosé habit is growing.

Rosé is, of course, something that should not be consigned to the dog days of summer, though too many people on this side of the pond still commit that sin. If you are among those sinners, repent, now, and get yourself a bottle of 2015 Dundee Hills Pinot Noir Rosé from Stoller Family Estate. I drank a bottle on a recent afternoon with a few friends, and it was exactly right. Wild strawberries, notes of grapefruit, refreshing, bright acidity, admirable balance. The winemaker uses whole-cluster method, and it’s fermented in stainless steel. Here’s what Stoller had to say about the vintage:

Warm and temperate spring weather prompted an early bud break as well as perfect weather for ideal fruit set, thereby producing larger, luscious clusters with lots of berries. The consistently dry weather and summer sun beautifully ripened the fruit until the end of August when a cold front came in and slowed down the assumed trajectory of our harvest. The cooler temperatures slowed down the sugar accumulation of the fruit and allowed for a longer hang time on the vine. Consequently, we were able to bring in the fruit as the flavors presented themselves. 

I like to drink my rosé at about 52 degrees Fahrenheit, and that’s what we did with this one. You can explore and come up with your ideal drinking temperature, and I encourage you to find a bottle of this Stoller rosé and experiment. It’s available directly from the winery for $25.