There’s a fascination with Northern Italian varieties in the vineyard planted and tended by winemaker Christopher Barnes, and his acclaimed Dolcetto makes its way into three bottlings at his cellar near Carlton, Ore. He’s produced a sparkling rosé with Dolcetto featuring various shades in recent years, and for the 2021 vintage he macerated this lot for 12 hours on the skins. That explains its reddish wardrobe. The nose hints at the fun inside with cherry, white peach and orange oil aromas. Bubbles around the edge of the glass bring a nice mouth-filling frothiness that highlights the ripe Bing cherry juice and cranberry cocktail flavors. During the holidays, it’s ideal with turkey, and other suggested pairings include grill ahi tuna, paella, Pizza Bianca topped by arugula or Niçoise salad. Look for the 2022 vintage to be released around Valentine’s Day 2023.
Rating: Excellent — 88 points
Production: 100 cases
Alcohol 12.4%
Leave a Reply