2014 Inman Family OGV Estate Brut Rosé Russian River Valley

This single-vineyard rosé of Pinot Noir was grown in the winery’s estate Olivet Grange Vineyard in the Russian River Valley. The fruit was hand-harvested overnight, then whole-cluster pressed. The free-run juice and taille were fermented separately, and only a small amount of the cuts ended up in the wine. The assemblage earned its color from a 3 percent addition of OGV estate Pinot Noir from the 2013 vintage, and the wine aged for 22 months on lees before disgorgement, dosed at a mere 0.5 g/L.

The color is gilded salmon, shiny and very pretty, and its spumy pour subsides into abundant pearly beads. The fragrance is bready with fresh brioche and marzipan, but also offers a faint sense of melon and strawberry. The texture is scintillant, the acidity bolstering the active mousse to create a foamy, spritely, cleansing mouthfeel that still manages savoriness. Although the wine is mostly not about fruit, when it warms and settles it begins to yield spring berries and peach.

This is a gastronomy wine, a sparkling Pinot Noir rosé meant for food. Try it with a cheese course featuring young cow’s and goat’s milk cheeses, cured meats, roasted nuts, and a scattering of fresh and dried fruits. It’s also great with roasted salmon and chicken, or lighter cuts of meat and game.