#9 PRIMA’s ’24 for 24’ Best Wines Of The Year

2023 Flowers Rose of Pinot Noir, Sonoma Coast, California

Regularly $30,

Special $24.99 with shipping included on a dozen bottles

The recent boomlet in Rose has left us shaking our heads a bit. How many of these never-before-seen pink wines we see out there are now being produced simply to ride the bandwagon? And how many are truly serious players in the Rose wine market? When Flowers released their first Rose now over ten vintages ago, though, we already knew the answer. We’d already had it once or twice up at the winery in the hinterlands north of Cazadero and knew it was terrific. In fact, the Flowers winemaking staff were just about as excited about their brand new Rose as they were about any of their iconic Chardonnays or Pinot Noirs (both still on sale!). It was meant from the beginning to be a serious entrant into the dry Rose market and they’ve not disappointed. Made from organic or biodynamically grown Pinot Noir specifically earmarked for Rose production (i.e. picked to be ripe at lower potential alcohol and higher acidity), the grapes were very gently pressed to release a gorgeous pink color before being naturally fermented in either a stainless steel tank or a neutral French oak barrel, the latter container, used judiciously, adding texture and depth but no oak flavor. The coastal proximity helps provide the shimmery, salty acidity one craves in a crisp, refreshing bottle of dry pink wine and lifts the rose petal, orange peel aromatics right out of the glass. Elegant and fresh, it’s a thoroughly enchanting Rose with both weight and verve. It both satisfies on its own and with your good cooking. In fact, with a glass right here, right now, we’re undecided how to rate it on PRIMA’s scientific Rose scale. How about *** Hammocks for its luscious mouthfeel and easy-to-love flavors and *** Arugulas because of its fine, fresh acidity and ultimate food-friendliness? How about another glass while we discuss the matter further?