7 Rosé’s From Long Island Wine Country

In pink…ready to sip some Rosé

The Wining Hour’s Long Island Rosé Selections:

Although we have affection for all of the Long Island Wineries, we recently tasted 7 of their delicious rosés on National Rosé Day.  Here are the highlights:

Bridge Lane’s Rosé is a yummy blush wine blend, made with 63% Cabernet Franc, 21% Merlot, 8% Pinot Blanc, 5% Riesling and 3% Gewürztraminer.  This wine is light and dry, an aromatic fruit basket with notes of guava orange peel and peach on the nose and strawberry, cranberry and watermelon on the palate. Balanced, with medium acidity, 11.9% ABV and clean finish. Bridge Lane’s Rosé pairs well with roasted chicken, club salads, fresh trout or salmon, shellfish and spicy dishes. Bridge Lane’s wines are also available as boxed wine, which make them a great choice for any outdoor activities such as the beach, boats and picnics. Their wines are actually available by the bottle, box or keg!

Visit Bridge Lane and their Parent Company Lieb Cellars

This rosé is certainly my speed, as it is both refreshing and elegant.  This pale pink wine is light, delicate and considered to be an off dry rosé, with a fruity and floral bouquet of peonies and citrus blossoms. Fluerette Rosé was on the palate as it was to the nose-tasting of rose petals, strawberries, and grapefruit.  It was fresh and floral, followed by sweet, but not too sweet.  This 12.5% ABV. wine was very well balanced in terms of tannins, acidity and minerality.  Castello di Borghese’s Fluerette Rosé would pair well with most salads, goat cheese, seafood and light fish dishes.  We didn’t stop there thought.  Read on…

Visit Castello di Borghese 

I am not a big fan of Merlot, but Castello di Borghese’s rosé was rather nice. It was light pink in appearance, had bright cherry aromas and a palate of rhubarb, raspberry and watermelon.  This medium bodied wine was crisp with a clean finish. The Merlot grapes used were “lightly crushed and left to macerate briefly with their red skins, strained then fermented in stainless steel.” Castello di Borghese’s Rosé of Merlot had 12.5% ABV and would pair well with cheese plates, pastas, duck, bbq, sushi and spicy foods.

Ok, so here is where we got a little sidetracked.  But, in all fairness, their selections didn’t leave us much choice. Castello di Borghese makes some excellent wines and after tasting their rosés, we went on to do several other flights.  De-lic-ous Long Island goodness!

Visit Castello di Borghese

The Lenz Winery produces a Blanc de Noire Rosé, which is a made from 100% Pinot Noir. This one is for those who really appreciate classic, dry rosés, like its French counterparts.  Aromas of lemon zest and cherry were on the nose, and it was cherry-laden with celery on the palate.  This wine was fermented completely dry and has 12% ABV. The Lenz Winery’s Blanc de Noir Rosé is more of a full-bodied or full-figured rosé.  It certainly holds its own and would do so with creamy pastas, fish, seafood and meat dishes.

Visit The Lenz Winery

Raphael Vineyards Rosé of Pinot Noir is made with 15% Chardonnay and 85% Pinot Noir grapes. This light pink rosé is dry, with floral and citrus notes on the nose.  On the palate was hints of pink grapefruit, strawberries, mint and lime.  It was crisp and dry, with a balanced mineral finish.  Raphael Vineyards Rosé of Pinot Noir is un-oaked with no malolactic fermentation.  Instead, it was aged in stainless steel for 3 weeks to maintain the flavors.   This rosé is one that will be a summer staple rose for me, as it is versatile and would pair well with almost anything. It’s also one of my favorites. 13% ABV.  Visit Raphael Vineyards

Roanoke Vineyards Rosé

Roanoke Vineyards 2015 Rosé

Roanoke’s 2015 Rosé is crafted from hand-harvested 65% Cabernet Franc and 35% Merlot grapes. This 11.9% ABV. rosé was very light and refreshing. It had a burst of citrus fruits on the nose and warm honey-dew melon, marmelade and cantelope on the palate. According to Roanoke, “It’s a wine designed to pair with elegant summer menus and (absolutely) al fresco-dining.” This wine is very pleasant and easy to drink. Roanoke also makes an unfiltered version of this same wine rosé.  The unfiltered one is a very limited production rosé made from Cabernet Franc and crafted in French oak. 

Visit Roanoke Vineyards

This Rosé is not only delicious, but it’s also very fun to drink.  The bottle alone demands attention and sets the tone for something summery and good. Consisting of 57% Merlot, 20% Cabernet Franc, 12% Chardonnay, and 11% Gewürztraminer, this life-of-the-party rosé is full of ripe fruit flavors on the nose and palate.  Summer in a Bottle Rosé explodes with peach, white cherry and strawberry. It was well balanced, with just the right acidity, minerality and tannins.  Nice finish. Wölffer Estate Rosé has 12.5% ABV. and is tasty as a solo treat or as a pairing for most shellfish and grilled fish, smoked salmon, and soft cheeses. It can also complement pork and lamb dishes.  Wölffer Estate’s rosé looked like summer, smelled like summer, tasted like summer.  Wait…it was summer-summer in a bottle! “Sometimes a glass is filled with more than just wine.  Our Summer in a Bottle Wines evoke the sea air, Hamptons sunsets and summertime adventures.” I could not have said it better. 

Visit Wölffer Estate Vineyards