Straight-up merlot rose tends to be pretty boring. It can be thirst-quenching and be good enough on a hot summer day. But it’s still — usually at least — pretty boring and one-note.
Take that merlot base and add some other grapes — like Pellegrini Vineyards winemaker Zander Hargrave did by adding cabernet franc and cabernet sauvignon for his Pellegrini Vineyards 2015 Rose ($20) and you get just enough complexity to make for a more-interesting wine.
This isn’t the most concentrated or intensely flavored 2015 rose from the North Fork. Its aromas of red raspberry, wild strawberry and bay leaf are decidedly on the delicate side, but they are pretty and tinged by just a bit of flower petal.
Similarly light in body, strawberries and raspberries lead the way but there’s a slight tartness to the red fruit — I guess you could think of it as a fresh cranberry character — that lends an added layer of refreshment to an already brisk, bright wine. Savory herbal and saline notes linger in the background.
What to pair? Raw shellfish and/or Catapano chevre. You’re welcome.
