Malene Rose 2017

Wine Enthusiast 91 points - There’s a chalky power to the nose of this lightly hued wine, its baking soda aromas melding with rose petal, lime peel and watermelon scents. There’s tremendous tension to the palate, where bubblegum and ambrosia melon flavors meet limestone-like minerality. Ripe enough to make it playful, it’s bright enough to drink all day..July/2017

Vineyards The majority of grapes for Malene Rose are grown in California’s Central Coast, a multi-faceted growing region moderated by its proximity to the Pacific Ocean. Just as the vineyards of France’s Provence are influenced by the closeness of the Mediterranean Sea, the vines of the Central Coast are likewise shaped by the cooling breezes and fogs that sweep in from the Pacific. Our Central Coast grapes are grown in two distinct regions, Santa Barbara County and Paso Robles. Santa Barbara County This growing region is characterized by transverse mountain ranges that run east/west, allowing cool marine air and fog to funnel into the appellation’s patchwork of valleys and hillside terrain. Days are warm but nights are cooled by this constant flow of air. We source fruit from an inland region of the AVA, where the long growing season is somewhat warmer, bringing grapes to full maturity. The soils here are well-drained, gravelly loams. Paso Robles Further north up the coast is Paso Robles, with a summer climate that features a large swing between the high daytime and low nighttime temperatures. Here it is the cool marine air flowing off the Monterey Bay and through the Templeton Gap that cools the vines. As in Santa Barbara County, we source our grapes from a warmer inland sub-region, from vineyards densely planted on soils of calcareous shale and loam.

Malene Rose is reminiscent of the dry Roses of Provence, a blend of Grenache, Mourvedre and Vermentino (known as Rolle in France) that is mouth-filling and crisp, flavorful and complex. Grenache contributes the wine’s fruit-driven notes of citrus, melon, stone fruit and strawberry, while Mourvedre provides a fascinating counterpoint, including aromatic notes of mineral and what the French call “garrigue,” a brushy, wild herb characteristic typical of the Mediterranean forest. Vermentino, an intensely aromatic white varietal, brings floral notes and lifts the aromatic profile of the wine.

Like a fine, dry white wine, Malene Rose can be enjoyed with a wide variety of foods, its layered versatility allowing for easy entertaining in environments both casual and formal. Well-suited to picnics and barbecues, its impeccably balanced texture and crisp acidity make the wine an equally elegant match for refined dishes possessing complex flavors. Enjoy Malene Rose with diverse dishes and cuisine including: Mediterranean Bouillabaisse (fish soup); Pissaladiere (French Onion Pizza); Tapenade; Aioli; Mushroom Quiche; Rosemary Flatbread with Blue Cheese Indian Lentil Soup with Lemon and Chiles; Halibut with Onions and Tomatoes; Chicken Tikka Masala Thai Coconut Chicken Soup; Pad Thai; Thai-style Basil Shrimp; Pork and Noodles Stir-Fry California Linguine with Chevre, Herbs and Tomatoes; Asparagus Risotto with Lemon; Chicken Quesadillas; Baja Fish Tacos