In the near quarter century that I've been organizing commercial wine competitions, I have more than 60 under my belt, and the rose category has been one of my greatest disappointments.
Once upon a time, most of the rose wines entered were on the sweet side and of little interest to professional wine judges, so medals were few and far between.
Even as more interesting and complex dry roses were produced, the judges mostly shrugged at the category. But the times are a changin'. Witness the 2017 Critics Challenge International Wine Competition over Memorial Day weekend in San Diego.
More than 50 dry roses were entered, which seems to be a record to most of us involved with this 14-year-old competition that features prominent wine journalists as judges. In a stunning reversal from previous years, the judges awarded a total of 22 gold and platinum medals.
As executive director, I was happy to see the judges finally embrace rose. But I don't give my colleagues all of the credit for waking up to its beauty.
It's my opinion that winemakers, particularly domestic winemakers, sense a market for dry rose and are finally taking the category seriously. A little more TLC in the vineyard and the cellar is evident in the dry rose wines presented at this year's challenge.
One winery, Navarro Vineyards and Winery of Mendocino County, California, entered two roses and scored a platinum award for each. The 2016 Navarro rose from Mendocino County ($17.50) is the less expensive of the two and was given the directors' award for best of show rose.
There was even a platinum award rose from Texas, the McPherson Cellars' 2016 La Harencia Rosa ($18), and a gold medal for a rose in a box, the non-vintage Bota Box Dry Rose, California ($22.99).
It seems there is a rose revolution underway. Consumers have caught on to the refreshing aspects of a clean, crisp dry rose. Producers have heard them and are bending the quality curve upward. And the wine journalists, aka wine judges, have noticed.
I had the opportunity to taste a number of the best dry roses at the challenge and can enthusiastically recommend most of them. Here are my 10 favorites, in alphabetical order:
Chateau Minuty 2016 Rose et Or, Cotes de Provence AOP, France ($40) -- This is one of the most elegant dry roses you are likely to find, and it has the delicacy you would expect from Provence. Minuty entered three roses and medaled with all three. Points awarded: 93.
Dutcher Crossing 2016 Grenache Rose, Winemaker's Cellar, Dry Creek Valley ($26) -- I loved this wine. It has beautiful fruit with crisp acidity, yet it is creamy on the palate. This was my second favorite rose from the challenge weekend. Points awarded: 95.
Eberle Winery 2016 Syrah Rose, Paso Robles ($22) -- This was winemaker Chris Eberle's second rose vintage, and it is better than his excellent first vintage. Though it's darker than most high-quality rose, it's dry and beautifully balanced. Points awarded: 94
JCB 2016 No. 5 Rose, Cotes de Provence AOP, France ($24.99) -- Seems like everything Jean-Charles Boisset touches these days turns to gold. Points awarded: 93
Ledson 2016 Pinot Noir Rose, Russian River Valley ($30) -- You know with all that great pinot in the Russian River Valley, someone had to be making a knockout rose! Points awarded: 92
McPherson Cellars 2016 La Harencia Rosa, Texas ($28) -- Winemaker Kim McPherson loves to play around with Mediterranean grape varieties, and this one's tempranillo. Points awarded: 95
Navarro Vineyards 2016 Rose, Mendocino County ($17.50) -- This is our favorite rose from the competition. It won best of show and is a steal at the price. Points awarded: 96
Navarro Vineyards 2016 Rose of Pinot Noir, Anderson Valley ($22) -- That's some lineup of dry rose wines at Navarro. Points awarded: 95
Unparalleled 2016 Rose Cuvee, Coteaux Varois, Provence, France ($19.99) -- This is another irresistible, utterly delicious rose from Provence -- at a good price, too. Points awarded: 94
V. Sattui 2016 Rosato di Sangiovese, North Coast ($26) -- V. Sattui only sells its wine online or at the winery. It's almost worth the drive! Points awarded: 95
A complete list of 2017 challenge winners can be found on the Critics Challenge website.
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