Malene Rose 2021
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Enthusiast
Wine -
Suckling
James
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Wine Enthusiast
This brand is a leader on the Central Coast for widely available and cleanly made rosé. Aromas of fresh watermelon, bubblegum and lemon pith lead into a sizzling palate of brisk flavors, from cotton candy to melon gum. It stays refreshingly dry.
Editors' Choice -
James Suckling
Pale rose-pink color with aromas of strawberries, rose hips, pomegranates and pink grapefruit. Fresh, fruity and delicate with a light to medium body and crisp acidity. Dry.
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Malene Roses are inspired by the classic Roses of Provence, the winegrowing region in southern France renowned for its vibrant, flavorful and dry pink wines. Modeled on these wines, Malene sources traditional Rose grape varietals - Grenache, Cinsault, Vermentino, Mourvedre and Counoise - from California's Central Coast.
As in Provence, this region features a Mediterranean climate, sunny and warm during the day but with close proximity to the ocean to cool the vines at night. These coastal growing conditions produce grapes that are highly aromatic, with the structure needed for the wine’s balance and finesse.
The name Malene is inspired by the semi-precious gem tourmaline, which can be found in many parts of the world including California where the gemstone exhibits an exquisite watermelon-pink hue.
Whether it’s playful and fun or savory and serious, most rosé today is not your grandmother’s White Zinfandel, though that category remains strong. Pink wine has recently become quite trendy, and this time around it’s commonly quite dry. Since the pigment in red wines comes from keeping fermenting juice in contact with the grape skins for an extended period, it follows that a pink wine can be made using just a brief period of skin contact—usually just a couple of days. The resulting color depends on grape variety and winemaking style, ranging from pale salmon to deep magenta.
The largest and perhaps most varied of California’s wine-growing regions, the Central Coast produces a good majority of the state's wine. This vast California wine district stretches from San Francisco all the way to Santa Barbara along the coast, and reaches inland nearly all the way to the Central Valley.
Encompassing an extremely diverse array of climates, soil types and wine styles, it contains many smaller sub-AVAs, including San Francisco Bay, Monterey, the Santa Cruz Mountains, Paso Robles, Edna Valley, Santa Ynez Valley and Santa Maria Valley.
While the Central Coast California wine region could probably support almost any major grape varietiy, it is famous for a few Central Coast reds and whites. Pinot Noir, Chardonnay, Cabernet Sauvignon and Zinfandel are among the major ones. The Central Coast is home to many of the state's small, artisanal wineries crafting unique, high-quality wines, as well as larger producers also making exceptional wines.