Our selection criteria include:

• A very good Quality rating of >=3.5 stars (out of 5)
• A price tag of <=$20
• Must be widely available

Julia’s Dazzle Rosé is produced and bottled under the Dolan & Weiss Cellars label. However, the masterminds behind it are Long Shadows’ founder Allen Shoup and winemaker Gilles Nicault. For years, Gilles made a dry rosé for Allen to enjoy and share with his own family and friends. After numerous requests from guests at Allen’s dinner parties, in 2011, he asked Gilles to set aside a special block of grapes at The Benches Vineyard to allow for increased production. Formerly known as Juliette’s Dazzle, this wine continues to deliver in its third vintage and is a great choice to enjoy on these warm summer days.

“Sourced from a special block of Pinot Grigio from The Benches Vineyard at Wallula, the grapes were whole cluster pressed and the clarified juice fermented at cool temperatures to retain its intensely vibrant aromatics and flavors.”

2013 Julia’s Dazzle Rosé (The Benches Vineyard, Horse Heaven Hills, Washington): 98% Pinot Grigio and 2% Sangiovese. Pale pink salmon in color. Very aromatic with watermelon, raspberry, and floral notes on both the nose and palate. Dry and light to medium-bodied with crisp acidity and a long, refreshing finish.
Quality: 3.5 stars (out of 5)
QPR: 3 bangs for your buck (out of 5)
Where to buy: Received as sample, suggested retail $16; Available elsewhere, $15 to $18

A Wine for Tonight: 2013 Julia’s Dazzle Rosé was originally posted on Wine Peeps. Wine Peeps - Your link to great QPR wines from Washington State and beyond.

This spring, Brancott Estate introduced a new lighter wine range called Flight Song, which includes a Sauvignon Blanc and a Pinot Grigio. These wines are produced using grapes harvested earlier in the season when their sugar levels are naturally lower. This leads to a wine that is 20 percent lighter in calories than a typical wine of the same variety.

“There are a number of ways to reduce the calories in wine but not all of these processes are natural and many of them affect the flavor of the wine. With Brancott Estate Flight Song, we use a natural winemaking approach to create a wine that is 20 percent lighter in calories. By doing this, we retain all of the distinctive Marlborough flavors that people expect from Brancott Estate,” says Patrick Materman, Brancott Estate Chief Winemaker

Recently, we had the opportunity to taste the 2013 Flight Song Sauvignon Blanc and the 2013 Flight Song Pinot Grigio in a blind samples tasting. Both wines are good and are perfect sippers for the warm weather ahead. The Flight Song range is now available nationwide in the United States.

2013 Brancott Estate Flight Song Sauvignon Blanc (Marlborough, New Zealand): Pale straw yellow. Aromatic with grapefruit, lime, and orange blossoms on both the nose and palate. Dry and light-bodied with very crisp acidity and a long, refreshing finish.
Quality: 3.5 stars (out of 5)
QPR: 3 bangs for your buck (out of 5)
Where to buy: Received as sample, suggested retail $14.99; Available elsewhere, $11 to $16

2013 Brancott Estate Flight Song Pinot Grigio (Marlborough, New Zealand): Very pale straw yellow. Nice nose with honeysuckle and citrus aromas. Lemon, lime, and floral notes come through on the palate. Dry and light-bodied with lively acidity and a medium finish.
Quality: 3 stars (out of 5)
QPR: 2 bangs for your buck (out of 5)
Where to buy: Received as sample, suggested retail $14.99; Available elsewhere, $11 to $16

Brancott Estate Flight Song: A New Lighter Wine Range was originally posted on Wine Peeps. Wine Peeps - Your link to great QPR wines from Washington State and beyond.