American Rosés for $25 or Less | Wine Enthusiast
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American Rosés for $25 or Less

Rosé remains one of fastest growing wine categories, and in the United States alone consumption of this pink wine increased around 50% in in recent years.

With easy-to-drink, quality bottles from the Bandol region in Provence, France, and a wide array of fruity rosados from Spain and Italy it’s easy to see why people can’t get enough of this pink wine.

How rosé is made:

Skin Contact: The maceration process is the same as for red wines, but with rosé the grapes only spend a few hours to a week on the skins. This in contrast to red wines, which can macerate for months.

Direct Press: A process that creates very pale rosés, darker-skinned grape varieties are pressed, breaking the skins and providing a hint of color. However, the juice is immediately drawn off.

Saignée: Here, rosé is the byproduct of red wine. Some wine is bled off early in the maceration process, helping concentrate the remaining juice. The lighter juice that is removed is fermented and bottled as rosé.

But U.S. consumers in particular have grown a distinct fondness for the style, and American producers new and old continue to increase their offerings. We’ve poured over our Tasting Panel’s recent reviews to find 10 stand-out American rosés you need to try. From heavy-hitting wine regions like California and Washington, to New York’s Finger Lakes wine country and even Michigan, these wines deserve your attention.

Grab a glass and kick-back with one of the pours below.

American rosés to try

Margerum 2018 Riviera Rosé (Santa Barbara County); $21, 93 points. This Grenache-based pink is always in the running for rosé of the year. It’s very light in the glass with aromas of delicate strawberry and crushed white rocks. The palate is a textural masterpiece, grabbing hold with chalky grip and not letting go as flavors of wild strawberry and pinched herbs show brightly. Editors’ Choice. —Matt Kettmann

Rodney Strong 2018 Rosé of Pinot Noir (Russian River Valley); $25, 92 points. Flavors of candied orange peel, raspberry and strawberry shine in this rosé sourced from the producer’s estate. Stainless steel fermented, it has a punch of acidity that makes it quaffable and fresh. —Virginie Boone

Anthony Road 2018 Rosé of Cabernet Franc (Finger Lakes); $16, 90 points. Pale salmon in the glass, this rosé dazzles in well-concentrated aromas of crushed stone, wild strawberry and peppery spice. There’s a pleasing ripeness to the fruit on the palate, with candied watermelon adding to the mix, yet it’s all honed by tangy elements of limestone and bright acidity. A soft framing of tannins lends structure to the whole, providing enough heft for it to hold up well at the dinner table. Editors’ Choice. —Alexander Peartree

Brick & Mortar 2018 Bubbles Rosé (California); $8/375ml, 90 points. The winery sources whole cluster-pressed Syrah from Clarksburg and Sonoma Coast to make this lively, enjoyable can of sparkling, which has good acidity and tension. Effervescent, it offers textured, fresh flavors of strawberry patch, watermelon and lime. —V.B.

Etude 2018 Rosé (Santa Barbara County); $22, 90 points. A beautiful shade of pink, this Pinot Noir rosé starts with fresh aromas of strawberry sorbet, watermelon juice and lemon rind. There is compelling tension to the palate, where rounded melon and berry flavors are cut by lime pith. —M.K.

Soter 2018 Planet Oregon Rosé Bubbles Sparkling (Willamette Valley); $20, 90 points. Though not labeled as such, this is organically grown Pinot Noir from a Yamhill-Carlton vineyard. Whole cluster pressed, it’s a delightful sparkler, with pretty cherry fruit, refreshing bubbles and a tart burst of citrus. Editors’ Choice. —Paul Gregutt

Porch Pounder 2018 Rosé (Central Coast); $6/375ml, 89 points.  This is a very reliable and appropriately named canned wine. It’s very pretty in pink color, and shows aromas of strawberry and tart berries. It sizzles across the palate with simple but pleasing flavors of cherry, red plum and chalk. —M.K.

Thirsty Owl Wine Company 2018 Plane Vineyard Pinot Noir Rosé (Finger Lakes); $15, 89 points. Pale-peachy-pink in hue, this offers a bight nose of peach, honeydew and white cherry. The palate follows suit, showing a pleasing juicy roundness of fruit flavors balance by bright, zesty acidity and a tangy mineral element. It lingers on tart citrus and peach tones. —A.P.

Syncline 2018 Rosé (Horse Heaven Hills); $25, 88 points. Mourvèdre (44%) is in the lead on this wine, with the rest equal parts Cinsault and Grenache. The aromas are light, with notes of minerals and fresh and dried herbs. Fuller-feeling flavors follow. It gets a bit bogged down. —Sean P. Sullivan

Verterra 2017 Chaos Sparkling Rosé (Leelanau Peninsula); $25, 88 points. An adorable baby-pink color, this is a traditional blend of Chardonnay and Pinot Noir offering a fairly neutral nose of watermelon rind, strawberry and white flowers. Ripe citrus fruits pop on the palate in flavors of key lime, Meyer lemon and tangerine, with a hint of melon. Bubbles are bright, dancing on the tongue with racing acidity from start to finish, ending on a ruby-grapefruit note. —Fiona Adams