No Foot Stomping For Lucy Rosé

If you are of a certain age, the phrase "Lucy wine" probably makes you think of a red-haired comedienne stomping grapes.  (Insert Lucy's sneer here.)  This Lucy wine is 100% Pinot Noir rosé from Monterey County's Santa Lucia Highlands AVA. It's a blend of grapes from different vineyard sites on the Pisoni estate. The 2014 vintage was dry - bone dry - but you have to expect that in the middle of a drought. The dry weather stressed the vines and made the grapes small and concentrated. The cool climate affords good acidity.

The wine is fermented in 10-year-old oak barrels, completely neutral. Alcohol sits at 14.1% abv, 627 cases were made and it retails for $18. From each bottle of Lucy sold, the Pisoni family donates a buck to the fight against breast cancer. They have raised over $80,000 for research so far.

This pink wine is really more salmon colored - it has a rich and beautiful appearance. The nose is gorgeous, too, with cherry and raspberry flavors wearing an herbal cloak. A bit of orange peel peeks through, too. Flavors of cherries and strawberries are big and ripe, and the acidity shows nicely. It's a great match with a bacon, egg, lettuce and tomato sandwich.


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