The month began with a wonderful Merlot Rosè by Passaggio wines. I've known Cindy Cosco for a while but embarrassed to admit haven't had a chance to taste her wines until last weeks #winestudio. I am totally impressed with the quality of her wine.
Cindy wasn't always in the wine industry. She was in law enforcement in a previous life. Like many left her career after 15 years to follow her passion and family tradition of winemaking.
Her wine career took her from working in a liquor store to winemaker in a custom crush facility. Then deciding to go out on her own and recently opened a tasting room in Sonoma.
The Rosè has her personal touch. Picked by 12 of her friends. Sat on the skins from the vineyard to the winery and then pressed off. Just in that short amount of time was enough to extract the color and some tannins from the skins.
The aromas of the wine are quite complex but bursting with red fruit. The wine is complex but elegant. Something that will pair with many choices.
In the glass flavors of pomegranate, raspberry, red cherry dance on your palate with hints of tannins and light acidity followed by watermelon on the finish. As the wine warms up in the glass the red cherry stands out a little more with hints of blackberry in the back.
The wine is a bit fruit forward, but not to much. It's very enjoyable. I paired it with leftover pizza and a salad straight out of my garden. It was the perfect summer meal.
The wine retails for $29 and is available on their website. Get it before it sells out as there are less than 50 cases made. I know I did. I order a few more bottles.
