2020 Wölffer Estate "Summer In A Bottle" Rosé Review

Rosé wine season is in full swing! Nicknamed "summer water", pink wine is a summer beverage favorite for casual drinkers and wine connoisseurs alike. Yeah, it is great all year round, but something about sipping a fruity, chilled rosé by the pool makes it much more satisfying. So, when I saw a rosé in my local liquor store named "Summer in a Bottle", I knew I had to try it.

Right off the bat, the bottle for this wine is beautiful and definitely stands out on the shelf. As if the name "summer in a bottle" didn't invoke the feeling of a relaxed summer day, the colorful flowers on the bottle definitely do. It would be a great gift to bring the host at a summer get-together.

According to the Wölffer Estate Vineyard official site, Summer in a Bottle "has lovely balance between the fresh fruit, fine tannins, good minerality and graceful acidity. It is the visual and taste portrait of the Hampton's high summer. Serve chilled, solo or as a complement to almost any food." It consists of 8 grape varieties: 48.5% Merlot, 17% Chardonnay, 13% Cabernet Sauvignon, 13% Cabernet Franc, 3% Gewürztraminer, 3% Sauvignon Blanc, 2% Pinot Meunier, 0.5% Pinot Blanc. It has 12.8% ABV and a 750ml bottle retails for $27.

The rosé has a pale copper, salmon color. On the nose, it has clean notes of strawberry, peach and melon. It has a vibrant mouthfeel with fine tannins. The wine was drier than I thought it would be. With a name like "Summer in a Bottle", I expected something a little sweeter. If you are not a fan of dry wines, this is not the rosé for you. The palate is crisp with a light minerality with mostly melon notes and a bright acidic citrus finish. There are also underlying notes of apples, pears, and strawberry. I enjoyed the fruity notes and the refreshing, crisp mouthfeel.

While the wine was delicious and I could definitely see one enjoying this refreshing, fruity rosé on a warm summer day, I prefer something a bit sweeter and I feel it is a bit overpriced at $27--there are many rosés that are just as good or even better for a fraction of the price.

Due to the crisp, dry nature of this wine, it would pair beautifully with creamy soft cheeses such as a mature Brie or fresh goat. The acidity of this rosé will cut through the fat of very creamy cheeses and act as a palate cleanser. Wölffer Estate also suggests enjoying Summer in a Bottle with seafood such as salmon, lobster and shrimp, as well as with pork and turkey.

Check out Wölffer Estate's other wines and ciders here!