Joseph Swan Vineyards Syrah Rosé, 2020

Joseph Swan’s background wouldn’t immediately suggest that he would one day become a notable winemaker. He grew up the son of tee-totaler parents (who abstained from alcohol – his mother was in the Women's Christian Temperance Union) in the farm country of North Dakota. He was an avid reader (there not being a whole lot else to do), and happened to read about wine, peaking his interest. Not for lack of imagination and despite his lack of grapes, he nonetheless set out to make his own. Using his mother's ringer washing machine, he squeezed the juice from some rhubarb from the garden, and, in a crock he had secreted in the attic,  proceeded to produce his first "wine". 

While Joe Swan has passed away, his legacy carries on at the winery. We can promise that this bottle is (just a bit) more impressive than his first attempts. In fact, Wine Enthusiast gave it 91 points, with their Virginia Boone writing, “The grapes for this vineyard-designate were picked specifically to make this wine, whole-cluster pressed and fermented dry. A gamy, herbal nose leads to textured, meaty tones teeming in blueberry and black currant. The acidity is crisp and lasting.” You’ll find this to be full-bodied and bursting with deeper flavors than you may expect. I’m a huge fan of Swan’s Syrah – this rosé doesn’t miss a beat and is perfect for your next barbecue.