Tuesday, June 21, 2016

#RoseRevolution with Ellipsis Wines

Rosé wines come in all flavors.  You may ask what I mean by that.  When you drink a Chardonnay, you expect a certain flavor profile.  Not entirely so with Rosé wines, because each Rosé is different, made with a different red wine grape.

Last week I had the opportunity to taste my first Rosé of Pinot Meunier by Ellipsis Wine Company .  Pinot Meunier is a grape that is mainly used in the blending of Champagne in France.   There is only 300 acres of Pinot Meunier planted in California and most of them are in the Carneros area.  The grapes for this Rosé come from Christine's Vineyard which is on the border of Sonoma County AVA and Russian River Valley AVA.

Jonathan and Devika are the beautiful couple that are behind this Rosé and Ellipsis Wine Company. They founded the company in 2008.   What began with producing a barrel of wine at home with friends turned into a first generation winery with an annual production of 1,600 cases of wine.

When asked Jonathan and Devika why they chose the Pinot Meunier grape for their Rosé they said they like the higher natural acidity the grape has and it brings more brightness and fruitiness to the wine. They also pick the fruit at 24 brix as that is their optimal point on the bright fruit and acidity combination for them to make the quality of Rosé

The wines beautiful shade of pink is so inviting.  The 2015 Rosé of Pinot Meunier had beautiful aromas of red berry fruit, strawberry and a hint of watermelon.

The wine had very nice structure and bright acidity.  Flavors  of ripe red raspberry, strawberry and a hint sour cherry filled the palate ending with a lime finish.

There are only 75 cases of this wine made and it retails or $25.

What I love about Rosé is that it is such a versatile grape.  I
paired this wine with a turkey burger with bacon, blue cheese and caramelized onions accompanied with a pickle relish mustard spread.

Burger Recipe:
1 lb ground turkey
2 tablespoons Crown Maple Syrup
2 tablespoons grainy mustard
2 tablespoons Worcestershire sauce
Salt and pepper to taste

Mix it all together and throw on the grill.

Pickle Relish Mustard Spread:
1/2 cup Mayo
2 tablespoons pickle relish drained
1 heaping tablespoon Dijon mustard
1/2 teaspoon of smoked paprika
1/2 teaspoon ground cumin

Mix all together and chill for an hour before adding it to your burger.

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