20 Jul Paso Robles pink – 2021 Daou Rosé
Not all rosé is created equal.
With the recent phenomenal growth in this category,
there’s been a rush by less-than-scrupulous producers
to cash in quickly. As a result, there’s a considerable amount
of cheap, poorly-made pink wine flooding the market.
Buyer beware.
On the flip side, legitimate winemakers are also capitalizing
on the trend. They’re focusing their efforts, expertise and experience
on this booming genre. The result: there are more high-quality
well-priced and readily-accessible rosé options than ever before.
It’s Wine Thursday!
This is our weekly look at a good wine that sells at a reasonable price
and is easy to find at the store and online.
You know that watered-down overly-sweet
grocery-store rosé you might have had in the past?
This week’s featured wine isn’t it.
Photo by Iconic Lite
Where it’s from
Paso Robles, California…a couple of hours northwest of Bakersfield…
where the days are hot, the nights are cool and the grapes couldn’t be happier.
With its ideal growing conditions, Paso, as it’s commonly known,
is the fastest growing wine production area in the state.
In these hills just west of the city, the Daou Winery
produces a vast collection: Cabernet Sauvignon, Chardonnay, Malbec,
Pinot Noir, Sauvignon Blanc, Sémillon and more.
What it is
Daou’s 2021 rosé is 100% Grenache, the same grape that Provence winemakers
use to make their world-famous pink-hued wine.
As you’d expect, Daou’s version tastes much like the rosés of southern France
i.e. off-dry, savory and fruit-forward with peach, apricot and citrus flavors up front.
It’s aromatic, medium-bodied and crisply acidic.
This is what I would call a “serious” rosé…well-balanced & well-made.
It would work well as an aperitif or as an accompaniment to a wide range of foods,
especially any spicy Asian dish.
Where to buy it
Costco carries the 2021 Daou for $16.97.
It’s at Total Wine for $21.99. The price at Vons is $22.21.
It’s at Safeway for $22.99.
Fred Meyer and QFC both have it for $23.99.
Albertsons’ price is $25.99.
You can order it from Empire Wine for $14.95
Universal Fine Wine & Spirits has it for $16.99
Same price at All-Star Wine – $16.99
The price at K & L Wine Merchants is $17.95
and B-21 has it for $17.98