Looking for the top Rosé Wine from Prince Edward County? You don’t need a special occasion to open up a bottle of Rosé Wine. Personally, I can drink Rosé Wine wine anytime.
What is Rosé Wine?
Rosé is a bizarre wine category because it isn’t exactly red wine nor is it white wine. It lies somewhere in between.
The secret to the pinkish hue of rosé wine is found in the skins of purple grapes. It’s in the skins that you’ll find anthocyanin pigments that dye grape juice red.
Normally, to make a red wine, the skins spend the entire fermentation touching the juice. Some red wines go for even longer in “extended macerations.”
For rosé however, the process is abbreviated.
My Top Rosé Wine Picks From Prince Edward County
Three Dog Winery
1920 Fish Lake Rd, Picton, ON K0K 2T0
Three Dog Winery planted its first vines in 2000 and after hard work and lots of patience, John & Sacha Squar opened their Tasting Room in 2014. Since the opening, they have added an onsite yoga studio as well as a Vineyard Loft guest suite to make you feel at home and relax on their patio as you enjoy a glass or two of their fabulous wine.
Three Dog Winery Dog House Rosé VQA
This 2019 Dog House Rosé is a blend of 75% Vidal, 25% Gamay with 10.75% alcohol. It is fresh and crisp with flavours of pink grapefruit and strawberry with a hint of honey. It pairs well with just about anything. Try it with some roasted chicken, BBQ ribs or tacos. You can order your Dog House Rosé on their website where they offer free shipping available to Prince Edward County and Quinte areas, as well as Kingston, Ottawa, and the GTA with a 6 bottle minimum order.
Available for purchase on their website
Karlo Estates
561 Danforth Rd, Wellington, ON K0K 3L0
Karlo Estates was co-founded by the late Richard Karlo and his widow, Sherry Karlo. Together they hit the ground running to critical aclaim. Sadly, Richard died in November of 2014 from stage four colon cancer but Sherry was determined to carry on. Being blessed by another wonderful man in her life, Sherry partnered with wine connoisseur and business -builder, Saxe Brickenden, who studied wine in Europe and helps to carry on the dream to build an artisanal winery worthy of world recognition. They have big plans for Karlo Estates, so if you want to be able to say you knew them when, join the Wine Club for insider access and a more intimate role as it all comes to fruition.
Their wines are made in the old world style using traditional methods and an artisanal approach for natural winemaking using natural ferments with minimal intervention. They have also produced the first certified vegan wine in the world helping them reduce their carbon impact. Karlos Estates was named the “Top Ten Cutting Edge Wines of the World” list twice and WineAlign’s “Best of the Best of Ontario” list.
2019 Patio Reserve Rosé
The Patio Reserve Rosé is one of their most popular wines. It is an “assemblage” of Sémillon and their estate-grown Malbec, the only Malbec in Prince Edward County. This is a dry, full Rosé wine with only 3gm of residual sugar and 11.5% alcohol. This wine was fermented in stainless steel tanks to maintain the floral aromatics and racked from its lees and aged to further develop flavours. It has scents of gooseberry, white pepper and violet on the nose with flavours of strawberry and cherry with a flinty minerality.
Available for purchase on their website.
2019 Frontenac Gris Rosé
The perfect rosé for those who don’t like rosé wine. This is one of their most popular wines and has developed a cult following so get yours before it sells out. This lively and refreshing wine has strawberry, rhubarb, cherry, and honey aromas as well as tropical fruits of pineapple, peach, and apricot. The flavours are fresh and crisp with of strawberry and key lime on the palate with a spicy dry finish of cinnamon and nutmeg.
This grape varietal started as a single bud mutation of Frontenac Noir, yielding grey fruit with amber-coloured juice. These vines produce grapes high in sugar but also acid. So, even though the wine can be quite fruity, they naturally balance for a clean taste profile.
Available for order on their website.
Del-Gatto Estates
3609 Prince Edward County Rd 8, Picton, ON K0K 2T0
Del-Gatto Estates is a family-owned and operated winery that specializes in hybrid grape varieties. Their wines all come from hand planted, hand-picked, and are handcrafted. They are bringing an authentic fell of Italy to Southern Ontario with their wines.
2019 Blushing Peacock
I would immediately buy this wine just because of the beautiful label. The Blushing Peacock is 100% Frontenac Gris property grown. It is a refreshing, fruity, and dry wine with aromas of blackberry and raspberry and a tart blood orange finish.
Available to purchase on their website.
Grange Winery
990 Closson Rd, Hillier, ON K0K 2J0
Caroline Granger returned to her family farm after almost two decades away. She had three small children in tow and was looking to reconnect with her roots and help her children find some of their own. Caroline soon discovered that she was sitting on some of the best land in Prince Edward County for growing grapes, and that’s when her imagination took over.
Their practices in the vineyard are focused on the health of the natural ecosystem, the health of the vines, and the health of the people who work with and drink the wines. Their winemaking is simple; do as little as possible to intervene in the process, so that what you taste in each bottle is a product of the land.
COUNTY CREMANT
Although not a rose wine, this sparkling wine reminds me of spring. This sparkling is made in the traditional style with a blend of pinot noir and chardonnay. It is made in the traditional champagne method with 7 years age sur lie. The blend is left with the skins for 48 hours. Tasting notes include caramelized citrus, baked quince tart, marmalade, and bright tangerine. Bready, yeasty toasted brioche, savoury PEC minerality, and a light lifted-ness pull the fruit together nicely. Fresh acid and a creamy, well-integrated froth create a tension of sharpness and softness that are beautifully balanced. Pair with a caramelized onion tart, enjoy as an aperitif, or with washed rind cheese or poached stone fruit for dessert.
Available for purchase on their website
Redtail Vineyards
422 Partridge Hollow RoadConsecon K0K 1T0
Their 5-acre farm winery is off the beaten path on beautiful Partridge Hollow Road. Re-opened in 2018 under new ownership, Redtail focuses on Chardonnay, Pinot Noir and Pinot Gris produced in an Old World-style with low intervention methods. Follow our journey from soil to stem as we replant our estate vineyard.
2020 GAMAY ROSÉ
I can see why they call this rosé the porch pounder. This is the rosé that will take you right through the summer. It is slightly off-dry with balanced acidity and length.
Rosé Wine From Prince Edward County
There you have my top list of rosé wine from Prince Edward County. I am sure there are so many more that I need to try. What is your favourite wine from Prince Edward County?
