Wölffer Estate Vineyard Rosé is a truly an homage to summertime in the Hamptons. You won’t attend one chic dinner party or social event that isn’t serving the official spirit of the East End, which typically begins to sell out by August causing a panic for all local oenophiles. This week, Wölffer officially announces the arrival of the first rosé wine of the season, a complex rosé with great dimension and understated elegance.  Boasting a bright copper-color, the rosé has wonderful aromas of ripe apples and lilac with hints of freshly cut hay and a spritz of citrus, and a first-ever screwcap closure — perfect for toasting wherever summertime finds you. The mouth-feel is playful yet refined with ripe fruit flavors buoyed by vibrant acidity and elegant minerality. The wine finishes with great balance, a touch of saline and natural CO2 mousse.

The 2014 growing season at Wölffer will be remembered for its low humidity and ample sunshine. This rare combination helped to produce spectacular fruit with fresh flavors of pure nature. Specially selected vineyards and lots were chosen for the gold-label rosé; choosing the perfect time to pick this iconic wine is crucial. The fruit was carefully harvested, starting early with Pinot Noir on September 15, 2014, to capture and protect the delicate flavors necessary to make a special rosé. Merlot and Riesling followed, then the Cabernet Franc and finally the Chardonnay and Cabernet Sauvignon on October 18, 2014.

Wölffer Winemaker and Partner Roman Roth shares: The crop level varied from 3.0 tons to 6.0 tons per acre. None of the varieties stayed on the skins and all were gently pressed. The juice for all lots was well-settled at 50˚ Fahrenheit, followed by a cool fermentation of up to 66° Fahrenheit that lasted up to 20 days to total dryness. We get extra depth by leaving the wine for six weeks sur lie. Some of the blending was done in the juice stage in order to marry the fruit, acidity, pH and sugars of the different blocks and varieties. Malolactic fermentation was strictly avoided to retain the lively acidity and pure fruit character. The wine was filtered at the end of December, the final blend completed mid-February and bottling began at the end of February 2015. Total production equaled 20,200 cases.

More Wölffer Estate Vineyard Rose Appellation: Long Island, New York. Produced and bottled in Sagaponack, New York. Under the meticulous care of Winemaker/Partner Roman Roth and Vineyard Manager Rich Pisacano, the vineyard encompasses 55 acres of sustainably farmed vines.  A unique combination of Bridgehampton loam soil and ocean breezes from the Atlantic, only 2.6 miles away, provide Bordeaux-like conditions, perfect to achieve the balance of ripeness and acidity of Wölffer’s signature style: European elegance paired with the distinct typicity of Long Island terroir. When grapes are sourced outside our vineyard, they must meet rigorous Wölffer quality standards:  56% Merlot, 18% Chardonnay, 16% Cabernet Franc, 5% Pinot Noir, 4% Riesling and 1% Cabernet Sauvignon

The best way to serve Wölffer Estate Vineyard Rosé is “just chilled”. Enjoy this lively wine poolside or on a picnic blanket. Pair it with elegant hors d’hoevres, such as smoked salmon, poached lobster, raw shellfish, beef or tuna tartare, and soft cheeses. Or serve it with main-course dishes such as roast turkey, baked ham, and roasted or grilled pork, chicken or fish. It really can be deliciously paired with any summer dish.

More about Wölffer Estate Vineyard: Founded in 1988 by Hamburg-born Christian Wölffer, Wölffer Estate Vineyard is an American winery with a decidedly European character. A 55-acre vineyard located in Sagaponack, New York, in the heart of the Hamptons, these former potato fields have become the quality benchmark of Long Island winemaking today, producing roughly 37,500 cases each year. The winery is located on the same property as Wölffer Estate Stables, a premier equestrian facility.