2019 “Prelude” Estate Rosé of Pinot Noir - Bells Up Winery

Juicy red cherry, morning fog, white peach. Squeezed lime, mint leaf, raspberry shave ice. A fresh yet plump-fruited explosion of strawberry juice, kiwi, and watermelon slushie erupts with expressive yet delicate intensity while unabashedly spilling notes of cherry blossom, rose petal, and peonies in expansive floral bouquet. Hints of rhubarb, young pine, and forest air emerge to provide lite wafts of remarkably clean natural tones that further enliven the vivid and invigorating display. Subtle impressions of coriander and a sense of mild salinity impart a faint glimpse of earthen spice that is largely outshined by the crunchy, cheerful, and outgoing fruit. Extraordinarily aromatic and fragrant on the nose while remaining quite zippy, tart, and mineral on the palate; featuring surprising and unconventional breadth for a wine of its vibrancy. Medium in body with light tannin and powerful lingering acidity. This 2019 "Prelude" Estate Rosé of Pinot Noir by Bells Up Winery is an exceptionally bright, energetic, and electrifying rosé from Oregon's Willamette Valley. 

Despite the Provençal style becoming the near ubiquitous international definition of rosé in recent years, many adventurous producers from all over the globe continue to craft expressive, exciting, and deeply colored rosés true to their own personal or regional styles. This bottling, crafted by Bells Up Winery using Pinot Noir sourced from their Chehalem Mountains estate vineyard, is an astoundingly deep, complex, and aromatic rosé that beautifully exhibits the tremendous merit of bolder and more assertive styles. It immediately bursts from the glass with unquestionably pure and expansive Pinot fruit aided by bright flowers and subtle natural tones. This wine holds true to Bells Up's previous vintage in that it drinks much more like a "baby red" than it does most other pink wines, and yet it still manages to achieve impressive energy, verve, and refreshment. This is totally delicious and worth seeking out.