Tasting eight different rosés is all in a day’s work for Tracy Dempsey. The legendary Valley pastry chef owns a wine shop (ODV Wines in Tempe), programs a wine club and has judged wine competitions held by The Arizona Republic and others. “I’m a little biased toward Arizona wines,” she says, praising our terroir and the grapefruit, watermelon, strawberry and rhubarb notes it imparts on rosés. “I swear, it’s the taste of sunshine.”
When & Where: Tuesday, May 14, at the PHOENIX office. The tasting began at 3 p.m.
Tasting Rules: We poured from eight bottles of rosé from Arizona wineries, sourced from Scottsdale tasting rooms and Trevor’s Liquor.
1st round: Arizona Stronghold Vineyards vs. LDV Winery
- “This one is a little floral, a little strawberry-watermelon,” Dempsey says of the Verde Valley winery’s Dayden rosé. “This would be great all by itself, or maybe with a little charcuterie, a little pizza.” azstronghold.com
- “This one’s a little bit more austere,” she says. “Dark, red cherries… [it has] a little more body. It’s not as acidic as No. 1, not as refreshing.” She wants to pair this southeastern Arizona winery’s offering with food. “Something salty would be really nice with it.” ldvwinery.com
Winner: Arizona Stronghold Vineyards
Despite finding LDV’s rosé “totally quaffable,” she favors the “nice acid” of Arizona Stronghold’s. “Stylistically, No. 1 is my preference.”
Next match: Pillsbury Wine Company vs. Los Milics Vineyards
- “There’s some really interesting salinity here,” Dempsey says, lauding the “juicy, ripe strawberry” of the Willcox winery’s One Night Stand rosé. The finish is “a little jammy, like a cobbler filling.” pillsburywine.com
- Dempsey’s eyes widen. “Rose petals. Wow. But not like grandma’s rose lotion,” she says of this Elgin winery’s Sandra’s rosé. “That’s like summertime in a glass.” Her ideal pairing: ratatouille. losmilicsvineyards.com
Winner: Los Milics Vineyards
“Today, No. 4 is my favorite,” she rules, adoring the “rose on the nose” of Los Milics while acknowledging that, on another day, she might be in the mood for the tart salinity of Pillsbury.
3rd match: Dos Cabezas WineWorks vs. Chateau Tumbleweed
- Dempsey digs the “earthy, gamey… savory” nose on the Sonoita winery’s famed Pink. Describing it as complex and rich, she says it evokes “a fairly ripe strawberry cream sundae” but with “beautiful salinity and minerality.” doscabezas.com
- “This is strawberry juice,” she says of the Clarkdale winery’s rosé. “Beautiful acid. It’s very refreshing. Yeah, I’m salivating. I’m ready for the next sip of it. The finish goes on and on.” chateautumbleweed.com
Winner: Chateau Tumbleweed
The cat lover likens this decision to choosing a favorite kitty. “If I’m picking between my two favorite cats, it just depends on who peed on the floor today. No. 6 didn’t pee on the floor today.”
Last match: Carlson Creek Vineyard vs. Rune Wines
- “Wow, this is watermelon,” she proclaims after tasting the Willcox area winery’s Malbec rosé. “Light, playful, refreshing.” She thinks it would make for a great barbecue wine to pair with smoked brisket, pulled pork and “salty potato chips and French onion dip.” carlsoncreek.com
- The pastry chef compares this Willcox winery’s rosé to strawberry rhubarb pie. “Heavy rhubarb – tart and refreshing… it also has a little creaminess to it.” Based on its color, she surmises it had “lengthier skin contact.” runewines.com
Winner: Carlson Creek Vineyard
Carlson Creek has her in a summertime mood. “There’s that tiny, overreaching note that’s a little bit bitter, but it’s that refreshing, nice bitter… that makes me salivate.”
Semifinal Winner: Los Milics Vineyards
“The rose petal is really fun, because so much of our rosés in Arizona are the watermelon-strawberry [kind], which I absolutely love, but this has a fun overreaching note of rose.”
Semifinal Winner: Carlson Creek Vineyard
“No. 6, I love you,” Dempsey says of Chateau Tumbleweed. “But No. 7, I want to drink all of you right now.” Carlson Creek takes the W.
Overall Champion! Los Milics Vineyards
“I’m stuck between rosebud and watermelon,” Dempsey says. Carlson Creek’s rosé reminds her, pleasantly, of a watermelon Jolly Rancher. “I always loved those.” But the complexity of Los Milics’ Sandra’s keeps her coming back for more. “This one has some things going on that, with the first taste, you just wouldn’t get.”
