Pop in a wine store this Memorial Day weekend, or after, and you’re liable to see entire racks and sections transformed into rosé sections. Practically synonymous with summer, rosé has a wide flavor profile, from dry to sweet, fruity to floral. It’s made either solely from red wine grapes via various methods or by blending red and white varietals.
Boulder County winemakers offer several rosé options; here are a few favorites.
2017 Rosato – Settembre Cellars
Boulder’s excellent Settembre Cellars harvests 100% Colorado-grown cabernet Franc grapes (the red grape does exceptionally well here) from a single vineyard with the express purpose of producing rosé. Winemakers then hand-sort, crush and press the grapes after brief contact with the skins, giving it its pinkish hue. What results is a light, dry and aromatic rosé that serves as an excellent expression of the style.
2020 Rosé – Bookcliff Vineyards
Bright and fruity, Bookcliff’s blended rosé has a touch of acid, an aroma of wild strawberries and the flavor of stone fruit. All the grapes blended into this rosé are grown out in Palisade. It’s a fine sipper by itself, but pairing it with a rich goat cheese is optimal. Bookcliff also has, pending availability, the Touch of Red rosé, a sweeter, fruit-forward blend that winemakers liken to Jolly Ranchers or sangria.
Dry Rosé – Silver Vines Winery
Silver Vines Winery, which opened a decade ago in Arvada, is currently building out its staff for a Boulder location. You can still order a bottle online or find Silver Vines wine in select liquor stores, and if rosé is what you’re after, the winery has a dry version worth seeking out. Aged in French oak barrels, this rosé carries some of that subtle wood flavor to the palate, along with a touch of vanilla. Floral aromas and dark berry flavors round out each sip.
Frico Rosato – Scarpetta
The wine titans at Frasca launched a wine label, Scarpetta, several years ago — and you can find its line of Frico red, white and rosé wines in many local liquor stores. Like the red and white varieties, the Rosato is a bang for your buck. Made from sangiovese, canaiolo and ciliegiolo grapes — varietals indigenous to Tuscany — the result is a light-boded rosé with high acidity and a refreshing crispness.
Venus de Vino Rosé – Augustina’s Winery
Nederland-based Augustina’s Winery produces unique wine, like the Venus de Vino Rosé. This semi-sweet blend of Colorado-grown grapes is fruit-forward, and taking a trip up into the mountains (check hours, given the pandemic) to sample it is a treat in and of itself.
2017 Brut Rosé – Vinnie Fera Wine
The winemakers at Boulder’s Vinnie Fera Wine add a little sparkle to their rosé by fermenting it in the bottle and aging it for a year. It’s made of a pinot noir and chardonnay blend, with grapes sourced from Western vineyards. A touch of oak comes through in the wine, making this a unique rosé that ought to be on your tasting list.
