DESCRIPTION

SCORES AND AWARDS

90 Points - Grapelive.com

“Sometimes overlooked for the Holidays, Rosé wines can be a real treat during the season and easy to enjoy both with the meal and or sipping while opening the presents and this latest Theopolis Rosé is a delicious vinous and spicy example, made from pure Petite Sirah, showing ripe crushed raspberry, strawberry, citrus, sour cherry and peach fruits on a fuller style palate. The dry Rosé of Petite Sirah has rounded mouth feel adding mineral tones, light rosewater florals, a soft wood note and hints of cinnamon, caramel and pepper. Everything folds together and flows smoothly here and with its rich texture it goes well with heavier and more flavorful food pairings, but still has a bright focus that makes it lively and refreshing. I like this vintage, with its dark ruby hue, it manages to be expressive and expansive while being dry and structured, it is a very pleasing year for this offering, one of the best so far.

Theodora Lee’s Theopolis Vineyards, as I have noted here, is one of the top vineyard sites for Petite Sirah in California, with vines hugging steep terraces in the Yorkville Highlands on schist and marine sediment soils. The Theopolis Vineyard has received amazing critical acclaim since it was established in 2003, with Theodoa’s success first coming from the wines made by Mike Officer at Carlisle, and more recently with Paul Gordon’s Halcon versions. Her own wines, which I first started tasting with her 2013 vintage have really started get dialed in as the vineyard matures, especially her signature estate Petite Sirah, which is a very unique and powerful example of this grape. Theodora has added a few new cuvées, both red and white made from sourced grapes, along with a set of Pinots, coming from near by vines as well as the SLH and this Rosé, which barrows Bandol style. For the Theopolis Rosé, like the great Domaine Tempier, Theodora went with 50% direct press (earlier picks) and 50% Saignée, a bleed off from the wine wine harvest to create more impactful version of pink wine and it was aged for a few months in well seasoned neutral French oak. This is drinking very nicely right now and there’s no reason to wait any further, this fun pink is still available at the Theopolis website!”

-grapelive.com

Theopolis Vineyards, 2021 Rosé of Petite Sirah, Yorkville Highlands, Mendocino County, 13%, $28, 4 stars. This is an aromatic rosé with notes of watermelon, strawberry and apple. On the palate it has flavors of berry, mineral and a hint of peach. Balanced and refreshing, this rosé is just lovely.

-Press Democrat