What’s in your glass today? Here in downtown Los Angeles, it’s Rosé. Specifically, the 2020 Raeburn Russian River Valley Rosé, which I received recently from the winery’s marketing and PR team. It’s fresh, lively, and as crisp as a perfect Granny Smith apple.
It’s also 74 percent Pinot Noir, 22 percent Zinfandel, and 4 percent Grenache, all sourced from the RRV, and it has a suggested retail price of $19.99.
The Raeburn is a beautiful pale pink in color — soak a few strawberries in water for a day, then remove them from the liquid. The resulting hue is close to what you get with this Rosé. Aromas of strawberry and rose petal, the latter delicate. You’ll appreciate the ripe berry and melon flavors, and if you prefer your Rosé a touch dry, this one should appeal. Its acidity is more than ample.
Fruit was harvested in late August, and the juice rested on its lees before fermentation in stainless steel. Production was 9,000 cases, and the alcohol is listed as 13.5 percent.
If you want to pair this wine with food, a chicken salad (mayonnaise, chipotle pepper, grapes, and shallots) was excellent with it, and mild saucisson would also be a great fit.
Speaking of Raeburn, back in November of 2020 I had the good fortune of being gifted a container of fresh Sonoma Dungeness crab and a bottle of Raeburn Chardonnay (2019 Russian River Valley), the idea being to prepare the crab and pair it with the wine. We did, and I think you would love doing the same.
I made crab cakes, and Angela plated them. It was our Diwali celebration.
The following day, I used the remainder of the crab meat (and some Italian sausage) for a pasta dish … and the Chardonnay drank well with both meals. It, too, has a suggested price of $19.99, and it’s well worth that amount of cash. You get a wine that drinks as if it should have cost you more, a not-very-buttery/creamy (in a great way) wine whose body and finish are impressive.
Want more wine? Read on:
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Nate Klostermann is Making Some Great Sparkling Wines in Oregon
Matt Dees and the Electric Acidity of Sta. Rita Hills Chardonnay
Baudelaire, Pinot Noir, and Rosé: Kathleen Inman’s Passions
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Michael Kennedy Talks Sailing and Zinfandel
Spain Opened the World of Wine for Spottswoode’s Aron Weinkauf
Alta Colina’s Molly Lonborg Wants a Bottle of Château Rayas
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James MacPhail on Pinot Noir, White Burgundy, and Russell Crowe
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The Wine Artist Goes for Chardonnay
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Sommelier at One of Houston’s Top Wine Bars Loves Underdogs
Can’t beat Chardonnay and Dungeness…and nice to see the 2020 Roses starting to show up in the market to give us a preview of spring and summer!