Varietal: Â 42% Merlot; 42% Cabernet Sauvignon; 16% Mourvedre
Region: Â Charlottesville, Virginia – USA
Cost: Â $14
Winemaker’s Notes:  Our 2011 Rosé begins with a fresh bouquet of honey, strawberry and hints of cinnamon which leads into a soft, fruitful palate with a touch of roasted pecan, finishing with a tart watermelon sensation. A blend of Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, and Mourvedre, left on the skins for 72 hours to accentuate the bright pink grapefruit color. All stainless steel fermented and aged.
My Review: Â I think by this point it’s pretty obvious that I’m a fan of the wines that Blenheim produces. I buy a lot of them, I drink a lot of them, and I tend to write a lot about liking them. One of my favorite wines to enjoy during the summers here in Virginia is the Rose’ from Blenheim Vineyards, and when I sadly consumed my last bottle of the 2010 vintage, I at least had the new vintage to look forward to. And here it is.
I had actually sampled the 2011 Rose’ twice before it was released. The first time was shortly after the grapes had been picked and the wine was just starting to be put together. My wife and I were at Blenheim doing a tasting and Kirsty brought up a flask of the “wine” that had been sitting on the skins for I believe 2 or 3 hours at that point. As you can see from the picture, it wasn’t quite there yet.
The second time was shortly before the wine was actually released to the public during a trip to the vineyard with my parents on Saint Patty’s Day. Kirsty was kind enough to come say hi while we enjoyed lunch and brought us a bottle to check out, knowing what a fan I am of it.
Now that the wine has been released I ordered half a case of it, though I can already see myself having to order more. This past weekend, when I think the official temperature here in Richmond was One Hundred and Stupid, my wife and I cracked open a bottle of the 2011 Rose’ to enjoy with some lunch…and to help us cool down.
As you can see from the image above, the wine is a nice dark pink, darker than the previous vintage. This probably has something to do with the change in blend from the previous vintage. On the nose I picked up strawberry for the most part, and in the mouth the wine was nice and refreshing, with lush flavors of fruit and watermelon on the finish that just make it perfect for enjoying on a hot day.
This wine just reaffirms my love of Rose’ in the hot months, and gives me one more reason to be proud of Virginia wine in general. It’s a perfect summer wine that is great by itself or with food, and is sure to help refresh and revitalize those of us suffering through the heat of summer.
