Rosé Day in LA

I am not a wine expert, but I am a wine enthusiast. So, it was fitting that Wine Enthusiast magazine sponsored LA’s La Nuit en Rose. The rosé had me feeling quite rose-y this past Sunday at the sexy Mondrian Hotel in West Hollywood. Guests mingled from one station bar to another sipping at least ten shades of rosé at 14 different bars with multiple blends at each bar. The world’s first rosé wine festival had us all blushing. Rosé Season has truly begun in Los Angeles!

Did you know that there are 10 shades of rosé? This “pink wine” can range from peach colored to nearly red, and of course we appreciated it in every color! Rosé varies since it can be made from blends of multiple varietals and different grapes. Our favorite wine of the day came from the Loire Valley in France called Sancerre. This rosé is imported from Cape Classics. Even the Sommelier at the new famed downtown LA restaurant Redbird agreed with my choice.

My second favorite wine of the day (and oh did I sip many) came from Dry Creek Valley in Sonoma called Quivira. This Rhone style rosé is produced from Grenache, Syrah, Mourvedre, and Counoise. There are only 300 cases available nationally of this certified organic and Biodynamic fruit from their estate vineyards which are farmed specifically to produce rosé. At around $22 a bottle, you better stock up and savor this special crisp, lively blend.

There were many other memorable choices, such as Bordeaux’s French wine Vignobles Lataste, an area I once lived at the age of 16. Vincent Lataste (perfect last name) was in town to share his Chateau de Lardiley Rose and Lardiley Prestige Rose.

Los Olivos, one of our favorite LA Escapes, beckoned us to take another road trip soon with their Santa Ynez Valley Rose from Beckmen Vineyards. Pour me another Purisima Mountain Vineyard Grenache Rose 2014! The Rose bubbly from Nicolas Feuillatte in Brut Rose NV and D’Luscious Demi-Sec Rose NV was another perfect summer treat.

Rose Day La Nuit — Photo credit: Melissa Curtin

Even Laguna’s Organic Cellar was on hand to tantalize us with their wines. After a final glass of el dorado (horse on the bottle) from The Withers located in Healdsburg, California, it was time to take my enthusiastic wine self home to bed.

#NuitRose continues the pink drink festival in New York and Miami.

Long live Rose Day in LA! Cheers to rose!

Note: Since there were so many wines, we could not possibly have savored them all, so unfortunately we missed some that we would’ve liked to sample, like the Moroccon Rose called Ouled Thaleb, the Mulderbosch, Ferrari, the Spanish and Chilean Torres, and wines from Rioja.