Review of Farmhouse Vineyards “Bloom” Dry Rosé 2016

When the temperatures soar beyond 80 degrees and the sun shines well pat 7 pm, we know it must be officially springtime. Backyard gatherings, swimming pool maintenance, and fresh propane tanks for the grill seems to be the commonality. For wine drinkers, it also means pulling out those refreshing dry rosé wines from the deepest abyss of the wine cellar; it is now time to let them shine, my friends. Sexy, food friendly, and thirst quenching, the pale colored wines are calling upon us for thirst-busting fun! Get out the sunscreen and your favorite wine glass, it’s time to drink pink.

For the crew at Texas Wine Lover, it means another season of tasting stunning Texas rosé wines. At the time of this review, the second annual Texas Wine Revolution is merely days away. Several Texas wineries will be showcasing their newest offerings to the masses, the 2016 vintage 100% Texas grown rosé wines. I feel privileged to be previewing such a wine, one that will be officially released to wine club members only at the event, the 2016 Farmhouse Vineyards “Bloom” Dry Rosé. The wine club will be opened up to 16 charter members this coming weekend at the Texas Wine Revolution. As a Farmhouse Vineyards club member, you will not only receive premium Texas wine in your shipments, but also other farmed products the family grows, such as the delicious honey to be released in May 2017, and is the same honey that came from the bees that pollinated the 2016 watermelon crop. Pretty sweet, huh?! The goal of Farmhouse Vineyards is to grow premium fruit and put it in the hands of premium winemakers. Farmhouse makes boutique amounts of wine in order to strengthen the brand, and understand what challenges the winemakers face each year in the cellar.

The name “Bloom” pays homage to the flower bloom that occurs on the cotton plant before the fiber. The Farmhouse family are eight generations of cotton farmers. We are proud to have them as premium grape growers as well! The “fruit of their labor” can be tasted at several wineries across Texas. Based in Meadow, Texas, the families farm wine grapes, cotton, and other crops, taking advantage of the optimum altitude and weather conditions to grow the best possible.

Now that you know the family a bit, let’s discuss the wine. The tall, slender bottle feels good in the hand as the screw cap unravels to reveal the precious wine to be enjoyed. The wine pours into the glass a light salmon color. The nose is super delicate offering notes of peach, grapefruit, and a tiny nuance of fresh orange. The palate is a bit more pronounced tossing lovely flavors of grapefruit, orange, mixed herbs, and crushed jasmine. I personally find the wine (at the time of review) becomes much more balanced, and complex as it sits in the glass for a while. This is difficult to do, however, as the mouth keeps watering for more dry rose!

Specifications:

• Farmhouse Vineyards “Bloom” Dry Rosé, 2016 vintage
• Winemaker: Tim Drake
• Appellation: Texas, Texas High Plains AVA
• Terroir: Sandy loam
• Grape varieties: 100% Mourvèdre, harvested at 21.9 brix on August 20th, 2016
• pH: 3.5
• Barrels: N/A. Stainless steel aged for 5 months, no malolactic fermentation
• Clarity/brightness: Clear/bright, with no detectable flaws, and no evidence of gas or sediment
• Tannins: N/A
• Acidity: Medium plus
• Alcohol: Medium
• Finish: Moderate
• Alcohol by volume: 12.7%

This is a gorgeous dry rosé wine that is built to refresh the palate, and renew the mind. The mouthfeel is pronounced, but not overpowering. This wine would pair beautifully with fried chicken strips and a side of potato wedges. No joke. Who needs to go out of their way to cook a gourmet meal, when you have a wine begging for fried food, and friends to share it with?!

Sip, savor, and enjoy my fellow aficionados.