The last two harvests, though challenging for red wine production, have enabled some seriously tasty local rosés. Traverse Magazine food and drinks editor Tim Tebeau invites you to sip your way to a pink and blissful moment with these Leelanau County rosé wines.


July’s bright blue skies and barbecues beg for a session-friendly vino. One with subtle, high-tone fruit and bright acidity. One democratic enough to be sipped out of crystal stems at an elegant al fresco brunch or gulped from solo cups on a sun-drenched boat deck. It needs to jive with fresh cheeses, grilled fish, summer salads or simply beach sand. The answer, people, is pink wine.

Rosé. That dry, slightly off-dry or effervescent intersection that bares the white soul of red grapes. Short contact between the juice and skins of pinot noir, cabernet franc or hybrids like Marechal Foch, imparts a sexy pink hue and suggestion of red fruit while keeping the wine’s texture light and bright.

Brys Estate Signature Rosé 2015
Brys’s proprietary blend of pinot noir, cabernet franc and merlot is dry and textural with delicious suggestions of summer berries and watermelon.

Black Star Farms Arcturos Pinot Noir Rosé 2015
Crisp acidity complements the high-tone red berry flavors in winemaker Lee Lutes’s 2015 pinot noir rosé. Pair with grilled salmon.

Blustone Pinot Noir Rosé 2015
Fruit-driven and fun, Blustone’s 2015 bottling showcases ripe watermelon and strawberry fruit.

Verterra Rosé of Pinot Noir 2015
Spared last season’s disastrous hail, Verterra was able to craft a zippy rosé from their pinot noir vineyards showing loads of red cherry.

Mawby Grace Brut Rosé NV L.
Bottle fermented so it takes on texture and complexity from the yeast, Mawby’s Brut Rosé brings delicate red fruit aromas and beautiful bubble structure.

Ciccone Vineyard Rosé NV
A multi-vintage blend of free-run cabernet franc juice from 2015 and reserved wine from 2014, Ciccone’s crisp house pink suggests refreshing red raspberry fruit on the palate.

Good Harbor Rosé 2015
Cranberry, watermelon and bramble fruit-laced with a hint of sweetness drive this Marechal Foch–based rosé that’s perfect for the beach.

TVM July 2016

 

 

This roundup of Leelanau County rosé for summer was originally published in the July 2016 issue of Traverse, Northern Michigan’s Magazine.
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Photo(s) by David Weidner