NDecember 2006 Wine Tasting Notes: "Do y'all have any sweet wine?"
2005 Rotta Zinfandel Rose, California.
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This wine is a fun, light pink color suggestive of pink sapphires. The nose is perky with notes of strawberry, confected watermelon and spun sugar with rosy, floral notes. The palate is bright and lively and a bit honeyed. Sweet strawberry and peach compote on a slightly sugary but not cloying base. The strawberry notes with a tinge of mineral form the essence of the mild finish. The light minerality, sweetness and moderate acidity make for a fuller mouthfeel that requires adequate chilling. |
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RWB Score: 86 breakdown 11.0% Alcohol 7.3 g/100mL Residual Sugar. $15.00 Retail (from winery); Production volume unknown. |
This is a very fun, light-hearted and straight forward wine with lots of sweetness and light, confected fruit flavors. Don't over think this one. Enjoy it well chilled by itself or as a lighter alternative to heavier dessert wines. |
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More Rotta reviews. More on the Paso Robles AVA |
Residual Sugar 7.3 g / 100 mls. Fermentation arrested by refrigeration at 4.5 Brix and 11% Alcohol.
Zinfandel is THE grape of California. Initially thought to be of Italian origins, its ancestry has been traced to the Primitvo grape of Croatian origins. While efforts are under way to make the two grapes synonymous in the USA, the offerings we have tasted are distinct. Zinfandel shows very fruity, jammy raspberry, blackberry, boysenberry, cranberry and black cherry - often with a prickly or briary note. Cinnamon and Licorice may also be seen. The Primitvo tends to be more fruity and juicy with much less (sometimes none) spice and briary notes. Zinfandel has come a long way since its usage as the core of California 'jug wines' and some great varietal Zinfandel wines are now being produced. Although there are some anecdotal accounts of Zinfandel aging well for decades, it rarely lasts past 5 years.
Rosé is a more fitting name for this wine. It addresses the way the wine is made. You may know this type of wine as "White Zinfandel". There is no such grape. Regardless of the name, this blush wine was "invented" by Bob Trinchero of Sutter Home Winery in the 1970s. The Saignée winemaking method involves draining off a portion of red wine after a brief period of contact with the grape skin with the intent of increasing the concentration of color, flavor, tannins and the quality of the resulting wine. The bled off juice is pink and may be used to make rosé wine. The winemaker then has 2 wines. However, depending on intent, a winemaker may make a "purpose-built" rosé which means that the rosé is the only wine made from the fruit.
The 2005 year saw an increase in crops over the preceding years. The year was generally cool and is being compared to the acclaimed 1997 vintage. The long and cool growing season without heat spikes resulted in fruit with good extraction but lower sugar levels. The slow ripening of the fruit is expected to make for elegance and balance in the wines of this vintage.
Rotta Winery was founded in 1908 by the Rotta Family. The winery, in the western section of the Paso Robles AVA, is undergoing a revival under the joint efforts of Mike Giubbini (who is a member of the Rotta family) and two partners: Steve Pesenti and Mark Caporale. Originally established by Adolph Siot in 1856, the property was sold to Joe Rotta in 1908. Joe sold the winery to his brother Clement in the 1920s. Following the repeal of Prohibition, in the 1930s, the label became known for its Zinfandels. 15 of the 20-acre Rotta estate is planted to Zinfandel with the remainder planted to Cabernet Sauvignon. In addition to estate grown Zinfandels and Cabernet Sauvignon, Rotta will also focus on Merlot, and Black Monukka which is used to make a dessert wine. Non-estate grown fruit is sourced from local Paso Robles vineyards, with a preference for West Paso.
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4 points |
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Nose |
2 points |
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Palate |
2 points |
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Finish |
2 points |
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Astringency/Minerality |
5 points |
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Acidity |
4 points |
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Alcohol |
5 points |
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Aging potential |
5 points |
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Overall quality |
7 points |
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