WASHINGTON 鈥� Ros茅 is a wine that鈥檚 best enjoyed year-round 鈥� after all, it pairs perfectly with summer pool parties, Thanksgiving dinner, even New Year鈥檚 hors d’oeuvres.
That said, there鈥檚 nothing more satisfying than uncorking a cold bottle of the pink drink in spring. It鈥檚 almost as if each sip is a reminder that warm evenings, beach vacations and neighborhood cookouts are on the horizon.
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And this spring, you can drink the very first made-in-D.C. 谤辞蝉茅 when District Winery releases its inaugural wine 鈥� a 2017 dry 谤辞蝉茅 鈥� on April 22.
Winemaker Connor McCormack has been working on the varietal since the urban winery opened its 17,000-square-foot space overlooking the Anacostia River in August 2017.
The old-vine Grenache grapes used to make the wine were sourced from California鈥檚 Central Valley and shipped to the Southeast D.C. winery, where they were pressed and aged for several months. (Ros茅 is the winery鈥檚 first release because it requires the least amount of time to age 鈥� about seven or eight months from vine to bottle, McCormack said.)
McCormack describes the 谤辞蝉茅 as dry, not sweet, but said it has 鈥�all the illusions of sweetness in the sense that there鈥檚 strawberry and brioche and these beautiful guava flavors that pop out.鈥�
鈥淚t鈥檚 really bright, [with] clean acidity, so it鈥檚 refreshing and it鈥檚 crisp,鈥� he said.
鈥淚t鈥檚 going to go down really well for the hot summer that鈥檚 to come.鈥�
District Winery is celebrating its first made-in-house vino with a , Sunday, April 22, after which the wine will be available in the winery鈥檚 tasting room by the glass, and for purchase by the bottle ($25) or case.
McCormack estimates he made enough 谤辞蝉茅 to get through the summer (about 1,000 cases), but doubts there will be much left after Labor Day.
鈥淚t鈥檚 meant to be drunk young and plentiful,鈥� he said about the Southern France-inspired wine.
Keep your eyes peeled and taste buds primed for a few more District Winery releases later this season. McCormack is working on a sauvignon blanc, a muscat and a petit manseng with grapes sourced from Virginia. He said his big red wines still need a few years to age.
