Noirs and from savory reds. According to Caraccioli, the microclimates of the Central Coast represent Rosé well. It produces grapes with good structure—that balance between acidity, sugars and tannins at lower potential alcohol levels. For the label’s award-winning sparkling wines, Caraccioli looks for phenolic ripeness as well as sugar levels come harvest. The former is a measure of changes in the tannic structure of red grapes, “Which is why [sparkling Rosé] works,” he adds. “We can make Rosé from reds that are difficult to make Rosé from.” Typically, the team at Parsonage prefers to work with grenache grapes to produce a Rosé of bright red berries and fresh citrus with floral tones—the sensation more people expect from a crisp summer wine. For 2025, however, the winery released a version from syrah. “It’s like a bullet down the middle of the palate,” Parsons says. “It’s not a dainty thing.” Treating syrah to the pink wine method releases more intense, earthy flavors: dark cherry, zest, lean pepper and sometimes grassy and briny notes. “I call it Rosé on steroids,” Parsons is quick to add. Experimentation is the state of pink wines along the Central Coast and elsewhere. Folktale in Carmel Valley crafts several Rosés, including a popular nonvintage sparkling version. But the 2024 New Love is a carbonic wine from the sangiovese grape that is a dark, looming pink with an herbaceousness that almost reveals its tannins. “It wants to be astringent, but can’t get there,” Wong observes, adding that with Rosé—as in reds and whites—“it’s so expressive in the way you farm it to make it.” Rosé can be an easy-going, front porch wine. But, Caraccioli points out, the style can highlight the elegance of pinot noir, the dry wit of sangiovese, the floral, herbal reverie from mourvedre and more. “It can be more serious if you want it to be,” he says. “The reality is that it’s pretty damn good if made the right way.” Put simply, Rosé is white wine made from red grapes, which puts a lot of weight on the method used by winemakers. The saignée process starts with allowing the juice from red grapes to begin fermentation. At some point, the winemaker will siphon off a small amount of juice and set it aside for pink wine. Vin gris, on the other hand, limits the contact between juice and skin, with the entire batch of wine fermented as Rosé. Grandeur Rosé, a label from Scheid Family Wines, is made with the vin gris method from petite sirah grapes. The result is a pleasant wine flaunting late summer notions of ripe stonefruit Wrath DANIEL DREIFUSS 38 THE BEST OF MONTEREY BAY ® EAT + DRINK 2025-2026 SALADS & CALZONES THIN CRUST PIZZA 831-899-1762 DINE-IN OR TAKE-OUT Tues – Sat 11am – 9pm Sunday 11am – 8pm 720 BROADWAY AVE. SEASIDE DELIVERY AVAILABLE Craving Pizza? SOURDOUGH PIZZA SEASIDE’S FINEST EAST COAST PIZZAS NY style, thin crust with butter and garlic WEST COAST PIZZAS SF sourdough crust with garlic olive oil BEER ON TAP PASTA & SUBS DESSERTS Oven_1-3v_ED25_ec.indd 1 4/24/25 11:44 AM
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