Plus Upcoming Wine Events
Rose is fast becoming one of my new favorite wines. And when you find a good one such as Muns Vineyard’s Rosé of Pinot Noir, 2008 Central Coast ($18), then one’s wine-drinking life is most certainly elevated.
I first tasted the Muns Rosé at a food and wine event at Café Cruz in Soquel. Mary Lindsay, who, along with winemaker Ed Muns, plays a major role in production, public relations, tasting events, and everything else that’s involved with running a successful winery, was pouring that day. She invited me to try the Rosé and I immediately bought a bottle to take home. I often have friends over for wine and cheese get-togethers, and it makes a change to offer Rosé—along with the Merlots and Chardonnays of this world.
Ed Muns has been a fan of Pinot Noir for a long time. He first planted his vineyard in 1998 – high up in the Santa Cruz Mountains on a ridge that “brushes the sky” with its altitude of 2,600 feet. With a view to growing “premium Pinot Noir grapes with exquisite attention to detail and quality,” his Rosé of Pinot Noir has everything going for it— it’s light and fresh and not overly sweet. Dry and crisp, this fragrant Rosé has gorgeous flavors of cherry, watermelon and cinnamon spice. As the warmer weather comes around, this would be a perfect wine to take on a picnic, or to have with your spring and summer greens. “It’s heaven in a bottle,” Ed Muns declares—and he’s not bragging.
Muns Vineyards is a new member of the Santa Cruz Mountains Winegrowers Association (SCMWA). The winery will be pouring for the first time this year at Pinot Paradise—a Pinot Noir-tasting event put on by SCMWA at Villa Ragusa in Campbell on March 28. Call Muns Vineyard for more information, or check scmwa.com.
Locally, you can find Muns Vineyard wines at Vinocruz, 725 Front Street, Santa Cruz; The Fish Lady, 2510 S. Main St., Soquel.
Muns Vineyard, P.O. Box 1877, Los Gatos, (408) 515-2663. munsvineyard.com.
Wine Events
Poetic Cellars is putting on a special event on March 13 from noon to 5 p.m. aptly titled Rhone Rhapsody – to celebrate the release of winemaker Katy Lovell’s Rhone blend “Mantra.” All Poetic Cellars’ Rhones will be featured, including the 2006 Syrah and the 2006 Mourvedre, along with delicious French gastronomical delights; and special cupcakes from Tulula in Livermore.
Poetic Cellars, 5000 N. Rodeo Gulch Road, Soquel, 462-3478, poeticcellars.com.
Roudon-Smith is the featured winery at Shadowbrook’s Winemaker Wednesday on March 10. For more information check shawbrook-capitola.com or scmwa.com. The Winemaker Wednesday series continues until the middle of May.
