Spring promises to be an exciting time for Rosé enthusiasts. Gehringer Brothers Estate Winery’s much anticipated Rosé is due to be released at the end of March. This new release features two varietals, Merlot and Cabernet Franc. It’s intended to have a classic dry style that’s perfect for sipping, but it can also be enjoyed with everyday foods such as pastas, salads and light seafood. This delicate wine is designed to be enjoyed young.
Judging by the response to the winery’s sold-out 2016 Cabernet Franc Rosé, it’s bound to be delicious. This award-winning 2016 Rosé, along with the 2016 Dry Rock Vineyard Sauvignon Blanc, the 2016 Ehrenfelser, the 2016 Private Reserve Dry Riesling, the 2015 Signature Series Cabernet Franc Icewine and the 2016 Gewürztraminer-Schönburger were all Platinum winners at the 2017 Wine Press Northwest Platinum Judging. This is a prestigious contest, created by Wine Press Northwest 18 years ago to determine who was making the best wines of the Pacific Northwest.
To accomplish this, the Wine Press independently follows 40 international wine competitions, tracking gold medals winners from Washington, Oregon, Idaho and British Columbia. The wines are categorized, then judged blind by three experts. Wine medals include: Double Platinum, Platinum, Double Gold and Best Buy. With seventy platinum medals, Gehringer Brothers are the reigning “King of Platinum.”
Indeed, wineries from British Columbia have become such a central part of the Pacific Northwest wine scene that Washington-state-based Yakima Enological Society — dedicated to “fostering interest in and appreciation of viticulture, enology, and proper use of wine” — now grants two scholarships to the Penticton Campus of Okanagan College viticulture program. This is a remarkable gift from an American-based society. This kind of commitment to creating excellence in winemaking impresses Walter Gehringer. Especially when it goes beyond borders to foster bonds rather than rivals. There is no doubt Gehringer Brothers’ newest wine will continue this legacy.
~ Lesley Buxton