Erica's Choice

Those of you that follow me on Twitter know that I’ve expressed a general dislike towards Rose’s.  I’ve reached this assessment given that most Rose’s on the market are too sweet or alternatively lack the character that one can more easily find in an alternative, such as Sauvignon Blanc, Pinot Grigio, Chenin Blanc, Viognier, Riesling. You did not like my assessment! In fact, you implored me to try these again as, especially lately Rose’s have rocked the charts with increasing sales driven by better quality alternatives on the market.

Given the significant number of responses of surprise and disagreement I received I made a point to specifically taste Rose’s over the summer. I tasted Rose’s from all over the world, including France, Australia, California, as well as different grape varietals such as Mourverdre, Pinot Noir, Grenacha. Overall I must humbly admit that I did like quite a few of them. Not all of them, of course, but there were several that I indeed immensely enjoyed. One of these is Schramsberg Mirabelle Sparkling Rose which I recently had the opportunity to taste.

Schramsberg Mirabelle Sparkling Rose is the first Rose that truly made me reconsider my initial assessment on Rose’s.  It is from California and the main grape varietal is Pinot Noir blended with Chardonnay.

The nose revealed strong hints of toast and yeast blended with some floral notes and fruit on the top. I had to wait a while for it to open up a bit, but that may be due to it being served ice cold. It’s crisp and refreshing, yet the toasty flavor adds a warmth to it which lends itself to be a perfect accompaniment to strong cheeses such as fresh Parmesan.

On the palate it is light and velvety with floral hints (violets) and some fruits including strawberry and raspberry. It’s not a sweet Rose but beautifully balanced with the floral hints which makes it very refreshing. The tannins are smooth and the flavors coat your tongue and linger like a lover that doesn’t want to let you go.

Schramsberg Mirabelle Sparkling Rose is perfect for that special occasion.  The bottle is beautiful, the name musical, and the wine itself a delightful golden pink hue that lights up a room as well as the mood. This is the perfect Valentine’s day or anniversary wine and it will leave a twinkle in the eye of the lucky one that gets to taste it.

Overall rating: 92/100

I had the opportunity to taste this wine at Indulge Wine Bar on North Milwaukee Street in Milwaukee, WI.