Rosé of Sangiovese = 86 Points

While I enjoy rosé year round, there is no denying how refreshing and fun they can be in warmer weather. Generally, I prefer Provencal-style pinks, but it is fun to try a wide-range of styles from a variety of grapes. For light lunches and picnics, for example, I often opt for an off-dry Rosé d’Anjou from the Loire Valley. I generally stay away from ‘blush’ wines, not out of snobbishness or even a dislike of the sweetness, but because I find them out of balance. I go to enough receptions, however, that I can still try some of the more popular brands of ‘blush’ wines without having to pay for the privilege.

PoiZ Wine Estate is a new label, which has just released its inaugural vintage (all from Monterey County), includes this 2009 Rosé of Sangiovese. The winemaker is Robert Brower, from the family which operates Chateau Julien. Despite the low alcohol, I was hoping for an off-dry pink, along the lines of the above-mentioned Rosé d’Anjou. The website, however, clearly calls this a blush wine, despite the name on the label. Here’s a glimpse at my tasting notes:
Light reddish pink color. There is a strawberry candy nose, which translates fully into the sweet strawberries upfront. While it is more colorful than most blushes, this definitely falls into the ‘blush,’ not ‘off-dry’, style. Fortunately, the wine’s sweetness is balanced by decent acidity, and while the strawberry carries over into the finish, there are also interesting watermelon notes on that finish. The finish has a good ‘hang time,’ certainly longer than most blushes. In short, this is a ‘serious’ blush wine, superior to the vast majority of the category.
Score: 86

Pairings:
With 10.5% alcohol, this makes a decent picnic/lunch time wine if you want something on the sweeter side. Also, fruity off-dry-to-sweet pink wines, when they have decent acidity (as this does), often pair just as well (if not better) with Asian cuisine as the off-dry-to-sweet whites that are often suggested. Because of the sweetness and powerful fruit in this wine, you might want to at least pair this with cheese, rather than having it by itself.

The facts:
2009 (Inaugural Vintage)
Region: USA, California, Monterey County
Grape: Sangiovese
Producer Website: http://poizwineestate.com/
$20.00, 10.5% abv

PoiZ 2007 Merlot = 89 POINTS

Merlot producers have been complaining about the “Sideways Effect” since 2004, when Hollywood single handedly accounted for the slide in Merlot sales, while encouraging the soar of Pinot Noir sales. It’s understandable that producers would complain, but let all of us who have been drinking American wines seriously for more than a decade be honest – before Sideways, most of us were making fun, or at least shaking our heads in wonder, at the many watery, boring Merlots that were being snapped up in the 1990s and into the new decade. Those of us who enjoyed the excellent California Merlots which led to the explosion of the inferior products understood where the movie character was coming from, even if he parodied our opinions.
Alas, there are still lots of inferior Merlots on the market at all price points, but there are also some good ones. PoiZ is a new label from the Brower family, who also produce Château Julien. This 2007 Merlot is one of their three inaugural releases. Here’s the scoop:

The wine has a very elegant package: a good label, interesting bottle, and heavy red wax over the faux cork; rather incongruous. The nose on opening is cranberry over plum. Although there is a little heat upfront and some noticeable tannins throughout, what is mostly obvious right away is the blue fruit – plum with hints of black raspberry, with the raspberry growing stronger on the finish. The finish has moderate length. 60 minutes after opening, the plum has taken over the nose, but the raspberry has matched the plum upfront and dominates the finish. The alcohol had also subsided and the tannins sweetened a bit. Overall, this is a very nice, fruit-driven, and balanced wine.
Score: 89

Pairings: While not a fruit bomb, the powerful fruit in this wine would overwhelm any stand-alone meats. If you like grilled steak rare with plenty of the steak sauce of your choice, this would be a wine for you. I would also pair this with game birds or venison. I can also see this being a very pleasant wine on its own.

2007 PoiZ Merlot
Region: Monterey County, Central Coast, California
Grape: 100% Merlot
Producer Website: http://poizwineestate.com
$25.00 retail, 14% abv

All PoiZ Wines are fully released!