This sparkling rosé made with Syrah from Bitner Vineyards was still on the lees when Wine Press Northwest named 3100 Cellars as its Idaho Winery to Watch in 2018. The 21-month project is about as hands-on and local as possible, starting with hand-harvested fruit from Ron & Mary Bitner’s vineyard in the Sunnyslope Wine District, then riddled and disgorged by hand by winemaker Hailey Minder and her husband, Marshall. (He was working as a professional river guide when they first met.) Their apprenticeship at a sparkling wine house in England is paying dividends as the Runoff Rosé showcases the brightness of Syrah in the Snake River Valley, offering notes of pomegranate, plum, brioche and a faint whiff of smoked meat. Its lengthy mousse, cleansing approach (a mere 0.4% residual sugar) and raspberry finish was rewarded with a double gold medal and the award for Best Sparkling Wine at the 2019 Idaho Wine Competition. Suggested pairings include barbecued country-style pork ribs.
Rating: Outstanding!
Production: 90 cases
Alcohol: 13.5%
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