California, the dominant force in American wine production, 

has always been best known for its

Cabernet Sauvignon and Chardonnay. 

Compared to those two behemoths,

California Rosé is unsung and overlooked. 

That’s unfortunate since some of the cooler regions of the state,

such as select areas of Monterey County, 

produce some wonderful Rosés that are worth discovering.

It’s Wine Thursday!   

Every Thursday, we review a good wine that sells at a reasonable price

and is easy to find, either at retail, online or both.   

California’s climates and terroirs are vast and varied,

making it possible to successfully grow over 100 different grape varieties. 

This week, we’re featuring a wine that reflects the state’s

unparalleled diversity.

Where it’s from

You’ve heard of Napa. 

You’ve probably never heard of San Bernabe. 

It’s a compact wine-growing area…less than 1/10th the size of Napa…

located in the southern part of the Salinas Valley

in Monterrey County.  San Bernabe is the home of Diora Wines,

producer of a portfolio of reliable, mid-priced wines

highlighted by Chardonnay and Pinot Noir.   

What it is

Diora devotes a portion of its Pinot Noir harvest

toward the production of its “La Belle Fête”

(translation – “the beautiful party”) Rosé of Pinot Noir. 

This Rosé is light, lively and refreshing with acidity to spare. 

There are floral hints but fruit flavors dominate

with strawberry and watermelon leading the way. 

Rosé can be made from virtually any red grape

but those with lighter skins…such as Pinot Noir…

typically result in a more tasty, balanced version

of this popular summertime drink. 

Diora’s La Belle Fête Rosé of Pinot Noir proves that point. 

Serve well chilled. 

And here’s to your “beautiful party”.

Where to find it 

The geographical distribution of wine, i.e.,

which wines show up on the shelf of which stores, 

doesn’t always make sense. 

Here’s a case in point. 

Our research showed that it’s easier to find this Rosé

in stores in Oregon and Washington than in stores

close to where it is produced and bottled…in California. 

Go figure. 

In any event, we found the Diora Rosé at Total Wine for $15.49. 

The price at QFC is $15.99. 

Albertsons and Safeway list it for $16.99. 

Fred Meyer carries is for $17.99. 

It’s on Vons’ website for $17.77. 

You can order it from B-21 for $13.99  

https://www.b-21.com/ 

It’s the same price…$13.99…at Luekens Wine & Spirits  

https://www.luekensliquors.com/ 

JJ Buckley in Oakland has it for $14.94  

https://www.jjbuckley.com/

The price at Marketview Liquor is $14.99  

https://www.marketviewliquor.com/ 

And it’s also $14.99 through Casewinelife  

https://casewinelife.com/  

One final note – we found two vintages… 2020 and 2021…on grocery shelves. 

We tasted the 2021.