The Los Vascos Rose 2020 is a blend of 60% Syrah, 30% Cabernet Sauvignon, and 10% Mourvedre sourced from Domaines Barons de Rothschild (Lafite)’s Los Vascos estate vineyards in the Colchagua Valley in Chile, located about 25 miles from the Pacific Ocean. Rothschild (Lafite) found this 5,000-acre wine estate in 1988.
The Colchagua Valley is in the Coastal Mountain range’s foothills; the Andes are to the east. This region is in a high enough elevation to be free from pollution and pests and has cool Pacific Ocean breezes providing the ideal temperature to grow grapes.
One of the advantages of having estate-grown grapes is that the Cabernet Sauvignon and the Syrah were grown to produce Rose’s wine. It is common for wineries to take some of the juice of the crushed grapes for the production of Rose’ when the bulk of the juice going to red wine production. The grapes are purpose-grown.
The Los Vascos Rose 2020 grapes were subjected to an early frost and warm to hot temperatures for the spring and summer. The Rose’ grapes were ready for harvest twenty days earlier than the rest of the estate grapes.
At harvest, the grapes were picked in the early morning hours. Vineyards always strive to pick the grapes at the coolest temperature of the day. As the day becomes warmer, the juice inside the grapes can evaporate, and the winery wants all the juice possible. Night harvest or early morning harvest is essential in warm climate vineyards.
The Los Vascos Rose 2020 was made with the Direct Press Method; here is a link to more information on how Rose’ wine is made. The wine was fermented and aged in stainless steel vats. As a 2020 vintage wine released in early spring of 2021, this is a young wine meant to drink now and not be aged. With this category of wine, the sooner you drink it, the better. The alcohol content is 13.5%.
Los Vascos Rose 2020 Tasting Notes
The color is a pale mix of apricot and Barbie Doll pink. The nose is fresh and inviting; there is nothing light and fluffy about the aromas. The scent of melon, lemon, ripe juicy apple, spice, strawberry, and faint spring flowers. The Los Vascos Rose 2020 has an edge; there is a good firm body to this Rose’.
It tastes strawberry (slightly sour, not sweet), melon, lemonade, a soft herbal slap, and black cherry. The mid-palate mirrors the body of the wine but does add a little cranberry and a salty sensation. The acidity is well-balanced, the flavors have plenty of room to unfold, but the acidity never bites.
The Summary
- The Los Vascos Rose 2020 is a delightful drinking experience.
- With seemingly every winery and brand offering a Rose’ wine, I started seeing Rose’ wines as interchangeable.
- The Los Vascos Rose 2020 is not interchangeable; it makes its own statement.
