Hess Select Rosé

Hess Select Rosé

Disclaimer: The Hess Select Rosé in this article was given to us as a sample.

After months at home, Amber and I had a weekend away. We stayed in Gualala on the Mendocino Coast. A relaxing few days listening to the ocean waves crash whilst we sat on a sun-drenched balcony. We observed social distancing and wore masks when we left our room. It was reassuring to see that everyone else in this small town did likewise.

One downside of this caution was that the hotel no longer provided wine glasses in the room. Styrofoam cups are not a viable alternative. Fortunately, one of the two local grocery stores had wine glasses for sale.

On warm days by the ocean, what could be better than a glass or two of rosé wine? We had a bottle of the 2019 Hess Select Rosé. Hess are Napa based, but this wine’s origin is labelled as California. Neither the label, nor the notes that came with the sample elaborate on the source of the grapes nor the varieties. The notes do clarify that this was 100% fermnted in stainless steel. However, this lack of information does not prevent us tasting the wine.

Tasting Notes

The wine was a vibrant salmon pink in the glass. The nose had low intensity, not helped that our only chilling option was a regular fridge in the hotel room. After it had warmed, the aromas of strawberry and flowers emerged.

The wine was soft and easy to drink. Dry, but with good fruit notes. The acidity kept it from being flabby without moving to tartness. The strawberry flavours remained into a delightful finish.

The wine sells for $14 at wine.com. If you want a well constructed wine that should appeal to all but those who like sweet wines, this is worth a try.