WN: Iron Horse 2007 Rosé de Pinot Noir

I picked up the Iron Horse 2007 Rosé de Pinot Noir after Christmas at the winery. I liked just about everything I tasted at Iron Horse and praised the winery effusively about a month ago on this blog. But sometimes when you return to a wine you enjoyed in the context of tasting at a beautiful estate winery, it doesn't quite live up to the memory.

This rosé actually topped my expectations as a dual Valentine's Day and parental visit selection, however. The color was a fairly dark cherry red for a Pinot Noir rosé, though it would not have been mistaken as regular Pinot Noir. Poured from the bottle at home, the bouquet was every bit as good as it was on a crisp morning in the Green Valley. I found the desired watermelon, strawberry and cherry aromas as well as a high toned floral aroma that unfortunately I don't have the words to describe. The balance of flavor and structure was superb. At 13.5% ABV, the alcohol lent body without being overtly noticeable. The palate was full and fruit-forward, yet had a light acidic tingle on the attack and finish. This is one of those rare wines with a seamless arc of flavor that makes your mouth water, then has a finish that just goes on and on. It's not really built to age, but it's so delicious and complete that it's amazing that it costs under $20.

Iron Horse wines are generally not cheap. But this is the third Iron Horse wine I've regretted not buying or buying more of for the future. I left the winery with only this rosé; I probably should have splurged on a couple of bottles of this as well as their estate Pinot Noir. If you have a chance to buy just about any Iron Horse wine, buy more than one while you can. It's a purchase that you'll be hard pressed to second guess. I'd love to have a few more bottles of this rosé for the warmer months, but since it's sold out at the winery I'll have to be a bit creative if I want to stock up.

Score: 91-93
Price: $18 from Iron Horse Winery