Other vintages

The 2021 Summer in a Bottle is a kitchen-sink blend of 50% Merlot, 15% Chardonnay, 13% Cabernet Sauvignon, 8.5% Cabernet Franc, plus some Riesling, Gewürztraminer, Pinot Meunier, Syrah and Sauvignon Blanc for the rest. It is all unoaked, very dry and comes in at 12.8% alcohol. This is not all that much different in general style than the regular Estate Rosé in this report, but that is a little more understated and a lot less expensive. Still, a lot of people will probably pay more just for that atmospheric label. This year, too, I'd say this is the better wine. This, most of all, is bolder in flavor, often the boldest of the winery's many pinks, but there's also more tension on the finish. It always remains very dry, never too fruity or even a little candied. It tastes great, but the fruit is lifted and the big finish is hard to resist. It seems very serious this year. It's another example of a fine pink performance from the winery in this tough year. This can probably hold well for a few years, but I'd always recommend drinking it when it is at its youthful and exuberant best. That's what it does best. There were 71,900 cases produced, plus some large-format bottles (up to a Jeroboam) and even a keg.