2009 ‘Ode to Lulu’ Rose

Sonoma Valley

The second iteration of this wine follows on the great success of the first. Last year “Lulu” received the highest score for rose’ given (90 points) from both Spectator and Tanzer. I am absolutely convinced that this year’s is even better. The 120 year old vine Mourvedre was picked at 22.5 brix in the last week of September. It was destemmed and immediately put in the press, where it was squeezed off to tank. Fermented cold with native yeasts, the wine stayed on its lees through ML (and yes, this is common practice in Bandol, and it means that I do not have to sterile filter it before bottling). The Mourvedre, as in 2008, shows why it is such a brilliant vehicle for rose’. The aromatics are of bright red fruits, but are complexed by the underbrush, forest floor, funkiness of the Mourvedre grape. The palate is clean and vibrant and shows the length and density expected by such low-yielding vines (2.5 tons per acre) of such age. This will be perfect with the holy trinity’s of summer food—whether it be cured meats, cheese, and great bread, or, cold chicken, fresh tomatoes, and basil. There is nothing like good rose’!

Stephen Tanzer’s International Wine Cellar, Jul 10

($20) Orange-tinged pink. Pungent aromas of redcurrant, cherry pit, white flowers and orange peel. Musky, broad and fresh in the mouth, with flavors of red berries and candied flowers lifted by a suggestion of white pepper. There’s an alluring creaminess in the middle of this deep, chewy, red fruit-dominated wine, and the dusty minerality on the lengthy finish gives the wine excellent focus and grip. These mourvedre vines are about 120 years old, according to owner/winemaker Morgan Peterson.

91 points

290 cases made

$22 | Purchase Now