Winter means dark days of the Pacific Northwest but when February hits you know you are steadily inching towards spring. Rose season has slowly begun in 2024 which means plenty of bright and tension-filled Rose wines will soon be in our glass. Today we present one of the consistently great Rose wines out of Washington, ‘Julia’s Dazzle’ made by famed producer Long Shadows. Year after year this wine has impressed since its inception and it is my pleasure to be the first wine critic to review this beautiful wine sourced from the Columbia Valley. A week ago I tasted high atop the Seattle skyline at the Smith Tower alongside famed Long Shadows winemaker Gilles Nicault. He was impressed with the freshness and flavor range in this wine. The 2023 Long Shadows ‘Julia’s Dazzle’ Rose (OB, 93) is very polished and light on its feet with a beautiful purity of red fruit flavors. This is best tasted at a slightly warmer temperature. At under 20 bucks this is a killer value — the 2023 ‘Dazzle' is truly one of the best value Rose wines Pacific Northwest Rose market. Learn more about these incredible wines at longshadows.com and here is my review of the 2023 Long Shadows ‘Julia’s Dazzle’ Rose.
2023 Long Shadows ‘Julia’s Dazzle’ Rose- Bone dry, the 2023 Long Shadows ‘Julia’s Dazzle’ Rose was stored in stainless steel. This did not see any battonage but based on the mouthfeel you would guess that. Almost all Pinot Gris grapes, this comes from the Gamache, McNary and Hogue Ranch vineyards. Bright strawberry and kiwi notes combine with shades of guava on the nose. The palate is rich and mineral-laden with a very pretty cure of red fruit flavors alongside damp earth and shades of kiwi and cantaloupe on the palate. Beautiful textured, this has impeccable balance with weight, favor range and finesse. Drink 2024-2030- 93