We’ve Waited Long Enough: All Hail the Return of Rosé Season

While rosé can and should be enjoyed year round, the newest rosés are now being released to ring in the season worldwide. From California to France to Australia, these 10 wines offer a taste of summer in a glass.

Hartford Court 2020 Rosé of Pinot Noir (Russian River Valley); $30, 94 points. Made predominantly from grapes grown at the Fog Dance Vineyard, a vineyard-designate of its own, this memorably delicious wine is light in color and delicately inviting in tangerine, peach and strawberry. Stainless-steel fermented, it remains crisp on the palate with just a touch of orangesicle richness on the finish. Editors’ Choice. —Virginie Boone

A Tribute to Grace 2020 Santa Barbara Highlands Vineyard Rosé of Grenache (Santa Barbara County); $25, 93 points. A very pale shade of pink in the glass, this bottling begins with aromas of rose petal, honeydew and wet slate. The palate is extremely tense and grippy—like licking stones and seashells, as flavors of red apple and rose petal float toward the finish. —Matt Kettmann

Halcyon Days 2019 Gris-Noir Rosé (Hawke’s Bay); $32, 93 points. This natural wine, made with no added sulfites, is a blend of skin-fermented Pinot Gris and Pinot Noir. The color is somewhere tangerine and pink grapefruit. It’s remarkably clean and stable for being entirely sulfur-free. A heady perfume of orange peel, honey, baking spices, minerals and flowers leads to a slippery-textured palate that crunches with acidity and pulses with raw, vibrant energy. There’s a skinsy bite, like marmalade, on the finish. Wine Dogs Imports LLC. Editors’ Choice. —Christina Pickard

Domaine des Carteresses 2020 Tavel; $24, 92 points. Rose petals and kirsch liqueur perfume this deeply hued, red-berried blend of Grenache, Cinsault, Clairette, Syrah and Picpoul. Full bodied and deeply concentrated in fresh, sun-kissed red-plum and blackberry flavors, it’s a juicy, fruit-focused dry rosé that finishes on elegant notes of crushed limestone and salt. Delicious in any season, it should maintain at peak well through 2022. Fruit of the Vines, Inc. Editors’ Choice. —Anna Lee C. Iijima

Saintsbury 2020 Vincent Vin Gris of Pinot Noir (Carneros); $22, 90 points. Fruity and effusive in wild strawberry, red cherry and tart Meyer lemon, this is a light, refreshing and textured wine that is brightly delicious. It finishes in wet stone. —V.B.

City Limits 2020 Pink Street Rosé (Columbia Valley); $13, 91 points. Syrah makes up 90% of this wine, with the rest Sangiovese. Quite pale in color, the aromas offer notes of strawberry and cherry. A flavorful palate follows, with a zip of acidity. A portion of proceeds go to fighting cancer. —Sean P. Sullivan

Domaine Chantepierre 2020 Tavel; $24, 91 points. This perfumed, deep-pink rosé is a consistently well-made expression of Tavel. Whiffs of caramelized sugar, rose petal and red currant accent rich, concentrated flavors of cherry sorbet and fresh strawberries. Full bodied and fringed by delicate tea tannins, it’s a refreshing but solidly built dry wine that drinks well year round. Fruit of the Vines, Inc. —A.I.

Underground Wine Project 2020 And Why Am I Mr Pink Rosé (Columbia Valley); $15, 91 points. There’s just a tinge of color to this wine, so little that some might mistake it for a white wine. The aromas offer pleasing notes of strawberry and rhubarb alongside a whiff of bubblegum. The palate is bone-dry and richly flavorful, with a big blast of puckering acidity tying it all together. Best Buy. —S.S.

Château Paradis 2020 Oiseau du Paradis Rosé (Coteaux d’Aix-en-Provence); $16, 90 points. This aptly named Bird of Paradise wine is dominated by Syrah, giving both perfume and a light structure. With the acidity and spiciness, the wine is both fruity and textured. Drink now. Bridge Imports. —Roger Voss

Middle-Earth 2020 Pinot Meunier Rosé (Nelson); $19, 90 points. Pinot Meunier is rarely seen in New Zealand, especially on its own, but it works brilliantly for rosé. It’s bright and fruity, bouncing with strawberry, watermelon and a stalky, white spice note. There’s oodles of acidity on the palate and ripe, fleshy red berries. It’s a refreshing little number, with tingly fruit right to the finish. Copa Fina Imports CA. —Christina Pickard

Published on May 14, 2021