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Wine Recommendation
Gann Family Cellars
2005 Ensemble Rosé, Estate(Alexander Valley)
Rosé, or “beach” wines as one French chef I worked with referred to them, are often overlooked in the dead of winter. In the USA, they are often overlooked altogether. This is really a shame as these tannin-free wines give so much sheer, sensual pleasure and ask for so little in return.
Winemaker Chris Knedel, brother to Gretchen, who, along with husband Michael Gann Schmahl, owns the Gann Family Vineyard, crafts this beefy blend of 60% Merlot, 20% Syrah and 20% Zinfandel using the classic rosé winemaking process, saignée, or “bleeding.” In this process, a portion of the juice from just crushed red wine grapes is drained off to concentrate what remains. This bled juice has lots of flavor, a bit of pink color, and no tannins. Knedel ages each component separately for six months in barrel before bottling.
This bright pink wine has strawberry, rhubarb, banana, guava, pineapple, and papaya notes. It is medium bodied, tropical, and very slightly sweet.
Reviewed November 30, 2006 by Catherine Fallis.
Other reviewed wines from Gann Family Cellars
 2004 Sauvignon Blanc, Spring Hill Vineyard (Alexander Valley)Catherine Fallis 11/30/2006 |
The Wine
Winery: Gann Family Cellars |
The Reviewer
Catherine Fallis
Founder and President of Planet Grape LLC, a company committed to bringing the joy of wine, food, and good living into the lives of everyday people, Catherine is creator of the “grape goddess guides to good living,” a series of books, television presentations, seminars, and e-learning programs. The fifth woman in the world to become a Master Sommelier, grape goddess Catherine Fallis is still very much down-to-earth. |