An extra special Long Shadows Rosé.
Juliette's Dazzle 2010 Rosé is a dry rosé made by Gilles Nicault for Allen Shoup, CEO and founder of Long Shadows Winery. Last month when I visited Long Shadows in Walla Walla, I saw several bottles of the new vintage of Dazzle in the cellar. This is a special wine. It is special because it is a Rosé made from Pinot Grigio...yes, white wine grapes. How was this accomplished? (I thought that you can make white wine from white and red wine grapes, but you can only make red, and in this instance rosé, wine from red wine grapes.)
A special block of grapes at the Benches Vineyard was left on the vine until they developed a bright tint then they were slowly fermented. Presto, Rosé from white wine grapes. A lot of care went into making this wine.
I hope by now, most people understand that Washington Rosé = bright, tasty, food friendly wine. And not the overly sweet, pink wines of days, and hangovers, best forgotten.
This wine has a lovely dark pink color with orange highlights. On the nose I was pleased by aromas of strawberry and orange peel, it was sweet-tart, with a tangerine finish. My first pairing attempt did not work. I cooked braised short ribs, but the sweetness of the wine did not match with the ribs. My next pairing effort was a success. I made a spicy hot, shrimp curry. The heat of the curry was a wonderful match for the gentle sweet-tartness of the Dazzle. Juliette's Dazzle made for a tasty dinner companion. For me, this wine requires spicy food. Go find a bottle of Dazzle and pair it with your favorite sweat-inducing meal. You will find it extremely gratifying. Recommended.
While a very pretty presenting bottle, perfect for date night friends, the bottle was difficult to photograph, which is why I've included three photos of the bottle in three different settings. I should note that the bottle was sealed with wax, which required cutting it off with the blade on my waiters key - the small wound on my thumb was worth the effort.
Dazzle is a project by Long Shadows winery, but is not available at the winery. It was produced especially for wine shops and restaurants under the "Dolan and Weiss Cellars" label. I found it locally for $15.
ABV 13.7%
The Benches Vineyard
AVA: Horse Heaven Hills
Established in 1997, The Benches (formerly Wallula Vineyards) is owned and controlled by a group of Long Shadows investors, including founder Allen Shoup. Located 20 minutes SE of Pasco on the Washington side of the Columbia River. This vineyard has twenty-seven geologically formed benches created twenty-thousand years ago by the Great Missoula Floods. These benches start at an elevation of 1400 feet and step down 1000 feet to the shore of the Columbia River.
www.longshadows.com
Cheers!
Juliette's Dazzle 2010 Rosé is a dry rosé made by Gilles Nicault for Allen Shoup, CEO and founder of Long Shadows Winery. Last month when I visited Long Shadows in Walla Walla, I saw several bottles of the new vintage of Dazzle in the cellar. This is a special wine. It is special because it is a Rosé made from Pinot Grigio...yes, white wine grapes. How was this accomplished? (I thought that you can make white wine from white and red wine grapes, but you can only make red, and in this instance rosé, wine from red wine grapes.)
A special block of grapes at the Benches Vineyard was left on the vine until they developed a bright tint then they were slowly fermented. Presto, Rosé from white wine grapes. A lot of care went into making this wine.
I hope by now, most people understand that Washington Rosé = bright, tasty, food friendly wine. And not the overly sweet, pink wines of days, and hangovers, best forgotten.
This wine has a lovely dark pink color with orange highlights. On the nose I was pleased by aromas of strawberry and orange peel, it was sweet-tart, with a tangerine finish. My first pairing attempt did not work. I cooked braised short ribs, but the sweetness of the wine did not match with the ribs. My next pairing effort was a success. I made a spicy hot, shrimp curry. The heat of the curry was a wonderful match for the gentle sweet-tartness of the Dazzle. Juliette's Dazzle made for a tasty dinner companion. For me, this wine requires spicy food. Go find a bottle of Dazzle and pair it with your favorite sweat-inducing meal. You will find it extremely gratifying. Recommended.
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| Dazzle with braised ribs. |
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| Dazzle and shrimp curry - difficult lighting. |
ABV 13.7%
The Benches Vineyard
AVA: Horse Heaven Hills
Established in 1997, The Benches (formerly Wallula Vineyards) is owned and controlled by a group of Long Shadows investors, including founder Allen Shoup. Located 20 minutes SE of Pasco on the Washington side of the Columbia River. This vineyard has twenty-seven geologically formed benches created twenty-thousand years ago by the Great Missoula Floods. These benches start at an elevation of 1400 feet and step down 1000 feet to the shore of the Columbia River.
www.longshadows.com
Cheers!