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Wine Recommendation
Ortman Family Vineyards
2006 Syrah Rosé(Paso Robles)
Chuck Ortman worked or consulted for a number of Napa Valley wineries before founding his own label in 1979, Charles Ortman, which later became Meridian. When the parent company of Beringer Vineyards purchased the Meridian brand in 1988, Ortman and Meridian moved operations to Paso Robles. Ortman retired from Meridian in 2003 and started devoting more time to Ortman Family Vineyards, where he’s the winemaster and his son Matt is winemaker and general manager.
While a lot of pink wines are the byproduct of an attempt to concentrate a red by bleeding off some of the juice after the grapes are crushed (that bled-off juice is fermented into a rosé), the grapes for this wine were picked early specifically for rosé. The wine was cold-fermented in stainless steel, then aged in mostly neutral French oak barrels. A little Viognier from the Santa Ynez Valley was added to the final blend to enhance the aromas and complexity. The result is a rosé that’s fresh and fruity, with bright cherry, rhubarb and cranberry flavors and a soft, round finish. It’s a delicious and refreshing wine for a hot day and, at $16, it’s attractively priced.
Reviewed June 18, 2007 by Laurie Daniel.
Other reviewed wines from Ortman Family Vineyards
The Wine
Winery: Ortman Family Vineyards |
The Reviewer
Laurie Daniel
Laurie Daniel, wine columnist for the San Jose Mercury News, has been reviewing wine for more than 10 years. She doesn’t use numbers, preferring to describe her recommended wines and let consumers decide for themselves. Laurie believes that bigger isn’t necessarily better; she’s partial to wines of balance, finesse and character. Her particular interests are Pinot Noir (versions that really taste like Pinot, that is) and aromatic whites like Sauvignon Blanc, Riesling and Gewürztraminer. |