As temperatures begin to slowly warm up, we pay homage to the start of Rose season. Rose wines from Washington continue to build in quality over the past five years. As outlined in my 2018 Pacific Northwest Rose Report, there are dozens upon dozens of brilliant, stand alone Rose wines made from this region. Many of the great Pacific Northwest Rose bottles even fall under 20 dollars.
The Julia’s Dazzle by Long Shadows impresses me every year and has been in my mind the most consistent Rose made in this Washington state over the past decade. Allen Shoup has been the mastermind behind this beautiful bottling, as Alan selected superstar winemaker Gilles Nicault to craft this outstanding Rose out of 100% Pinot Gris sourced from The Benches Vineyard in the Horse Heaven Hills.
A winemaker not needing any introduction, Gilles has an impressive resume, joining Woodward Canyon in 1996, where he stayed until moving to Long Shadows in June 2003. Learning from eminent Washington winemaker Rick Small, Gilles was later named head of enology and production at Woodward Canyon. I have scored the last three vintages of the Long Shadows ‘Julia’s Dazzle’ Rose 92 points — the only Rose wine from Washington to achieve the feat. The 2018 Long Shadows ‘Julia’s Dazzle’ Rose (WWB, 92) is a stunning new bottling with incredible energy, verve and ripeness. It is an incredible value for under $20.00. Learn more about this outstanding wine and other Long Shadows wines at http://longshadows.com Here is my review of the 2018 Long Shadows ‘Julia’s Dazzle’ Rose.
2018 Long Shadows ‘Julia’s Dazzle’ Rose- The 2018 ‘Julia’s Dazzle’ is another outstanding release by superstar winemaker Giles Nicault. Made entirely from Pinot Gris grapes, this shows an amazing range of aromas from white peach to white rose petals to cran-cherry and lighter citrus tones that round out the nose. Lithe, and light on its feet, this shows off an incredible, silky texture that entices. Cran-cherry, bright strawberry and guava flavors connect with the great sense of minerality. Like most releases of this wine, it expresses a beautiful combination of weight and tension. Enjoyable now, this will continue to cellar over the next five years. Drink 2019-2024- 92