SoloRosa Wines

This is the sixth vintage of Rosés from former wine writer cum vintner Jeff Morgan. Not only is his wine “empire” expanding (he has produced two high-end Napa Valley kosher wines called Covenant; as well as four different Rosés this year), he’s almost single-handedly brought Rosé in America to respectability. The category in the last couple of years has gained traction.

This bone-dry example – the 2005 California, that Morgan calls his “mainstream” Rosé, which offers much more than respectability – is made from Sangiovese and Merlot grapes from the Atlas Peak Vineyard in the Napa Valley, and the Levantini Vineyard in Lodi.

The first thing that struck me about the wine is the wonderful acidity. In some past vintages Morgan (who still writes cookbooks) and winemaker-partner Daniel Moore (who used to make wine for Lynmar) had left a bit of residual sugar in their Rosé, which was not to my liking. So, that’s why I immediately and happily noticed the bright, cleansing acid in this version. Nonetheless, the fruit with some grapefruit and strawberry notes, is delicious. The gestalt of the wine is rounded off – but not otherwise influenced by – the addition of four or five months in French barrels that were used three to six times previously.

The listed alcohol is 14.2 percent, but you’d hardly notice in this perfect foil of a summer wine. There were 2,100 cases produced.

Reviewed August 1, 2006 by Alan Goldfarb.