Mason Balistreri

Sommelier, International Wine Guild; Balistreri Vineyard; Sales, Joy Wine and Spirits

9.6

It might shock you, but my favorite rosé is not French but instead comes from California! Blasphemy, I know - but Bedrock's Ode to Lulu is just that good. The difficulty is actually finding a bottle. For the last three years, I've only been allocated a case (or less) to sell here in Denver. It's possible you are one of the select few I've actually told about this wine... If not, now is your chance. This is the first year there's an "okay" supply. It won't last, but you should be able to get a bottle.

So yes, it's not French but it's made in the same style and method of Tempier Bandol Rosé- the most sought after, cult rosé out there. The name "Ode to Lulu" is actually an homage to the 4.5 foot tall, 101 year old woman named "Lulu" Peyraud (born Lucie Tempier) whose father gifted the Mourvedre heavy estate to her and her husband Lucien Peyraud. The wines they would go on to produce from the 1940's onward quite literally defined Bandol and put it on the map as some of the best rosés out there. She's still alive and presumably drinking plenty of wine.

This California-born "Ode to Lulu" is modeled after the great Tempier, but has some unique properties compared to it's French namesake. For one, the vines are EXTREMELY old. Tempier defined itself by focusing on old Mourvèdre and Grenache plantings, but even these French vineyards cannot compare to what Bedrock is working with in California. If you don't know, Bedrock is the winery of Morgon Twain Peterson, son of legendary Ravenswood founder Joel Peterson. Morgon grew up making wine and through his father has cultivated relationships with some of the most important heritage vineyards in California. The "Ode to Lulu" is made from Mourvèdre and Grenache planted as far back as 1888! These are some of the oldest plantings of these grapes around and make for unbelievable wines. Tempier's average vine age is around 40 years old today. Bedrock's is over 3x as old. Insane.

Morgon may be young, but he has a life time of winemaking experience. He started making wine with his father when he was 5 years old and hasn't stopped yet. In addition to absorbing his father's knowledge on heritage vineyards, he is a real student in the world of wine, earning a "Masters of Wine" designation (this industry's highest achievement). I've been drinking his wine for several years and I can say that his wine is made extremely thoughtfully and with expert attention to detail. This is true even with a wine as humble as rosé.

Unlike most California pink wine, Bedrock is not produced by "bleeding off" juice from a red wine. Instead, the grapes are picked early and separately at very low potential alcohols, and whole cluster pressed with low extraction. This preserves the freshness and acidity, creating a wine of clarity. In an old blog post I dug up, Morgon explains this idea:

"I pick at potential alcohols lower on the scale where brightness and lift still exist. This is not to say that fruit does not matter—I use Mourvedre from a block planted over 120 years ago for requisite concentration of complexity of flavor—but like fine champagne, the wonders of rosé lie in its unbearable lightness of being."

I agree with this idea of rosé and I think most people instinctively do as well. It's no coincidence that our best selling bottles come from provence. However, I urge you to pick up at least one bottle of this Ode to Lulu. It's a wine that's close in spirit to the best French rosé but made from vineyards that are American and unrivaled in age.

This is the fourth vintage of Ode to Lulu I've tasted, and I would say that's the most elegant yet. The 2015 was maybe my favorite for it's depth and I picked a few up to age, drinking my last bottle recently... This new vintage is great now, but it will reward with a short cellaring time. Honestly, if you can hide 2 bottles and drink them before fall or into next year, you will be blown away. Bandol rosé is a wine that improves dramatically over the course of 6 months to several years (Tempier Rosé is known to go decades). This bedrock is no different.

I can personally attest to past vintages gaining depth with time. How is this possible? Unlike other rosé which should be drank young, Bandol and Ode to Lulu are made of Mourvedre, a grape that is naturally reductive and resistant to oxidation. Further, the acidity is high and alcohol low. As the acidity starts to fall away, a depth and richness of character will emerge. In fruitier/riper rosé with more alcohol, this richness becomes too sweet and cloying... Not the case here. This keep balanced through time, gaining complexity while remaining refreshing. 

You should buy this wine. However, I think there is one more important facet to rosé that I should mention before you do... Rosé is not always about what's in the glass itself. Rosé is really an ethereal thing... It's more so an "essence" of terroir and vintage rather than a sturdy, hard representation like red wine is... Sorry if that doesn't make sense but what I'm trying to say is that sometimes rosé is more about the place and the people you enjoy it with than the exact flavors themselves. Of course, we cannot all visit the picturesque village of Bandol to visit Lulu Peyraud; but I think, with this sunny Colorado weather, we can come close. Perhaps Morgon said it better than I can:

"Proper rosé is refreshing, life-nourishing stuff that revives the soul... I drink as much for pure pleasure as for intellectual stimulation. In the warmer months there is something sacred about a late afternoon meal of cold chicken, fresh garden tomatoes, and rosé. It is one body in the sacred trilogy of rustic simplicity." - Morgon Twain Peterson

#rose #oldvine #lulu #tempier #bedrockwineco — 8 years ago

Martin Sorge

9.0

Not as unctuous as some vintages. But still all yellow apples and Meyer lemon. — 11 years ago

Michael Perry

8.9

Love this place. People need to pay more attention to some Michigan wineries. — 11 years ago

Carlin St. John

9.0

Love this! My favorite red from Michigan yet. Robust, peppery, medium-body. Begging for hearty/earthy salads. Would be a nice fall wine. — 11 years ago

Matthew Marcino

8.9

Such a great wine. Fruity, nice finish, and smooth — 12 years ago

Kirstie Wilson

9.2

Drank on Friday 22nd in the summerhouse — 12 years ago

Phil Stice

9.0

Primary nose with earthy underpinnings. Loads of dry extract. Beautiful texture. 70% whole cluster. Foot tred. 1300L Foudre — 13 years ago

Erin Pooley

Owner/Winemaker Good Luck Wines

10

Pinot Meunier is my favourite grape variety. For the new world- I love it so much more than its Noir sibling. It says- hi! I have depth- but I don't take myself seriously. I really like stems and I smell of sweet wet leaves crunching under foot. Yes. Yes.... And yes. Happy Thanksgiving! — 14 years ago

Sipping Fine Wine

9.3

Located on the outskirts of the medieval town of Saint-Emilion, at the southern foot of the slope. A blend of 55% Merlot, 40% Cabernet Franc, & 5% Cabernet Sauvignon, a lower Merlot blend (normally 70% in Saint-Emilion) allowing more for Cab Franc, enhanced by the warm soil. Wonderful, complex a Gem! Perfect now! Subtle fruit aromas accompanied by cedar & spice. The palate shows fresh ripe berry fruits, cacao and espresso notes. Well balanced, perfect tannins, a joy to drink. Tasting Sample. — 9 years ago

Sipping Fine Wine

9.1

A small, family-run domaine now in its 5th generation. Cathy & Cedric aim to strike a balance between the old and the new, with wines that respect the traditions of their ancestors but have one foot firmly in the present.100% Gamay, bright red with red fruit aromas and oaky pepper notes. On the palate cherry flavors with espresso, oak and vanilla, soft tannins on lingering finish. Good balance. — 9 years ago

Fabian Östman

9.0

Good everyday-wine :-) — 10 years ago

Jeff Burrows

9.3

One foot in the new world, one foot in the old. Earthy elements, but a bit more fruit than its Chinon counterpart. Respectfully done, love this wine! — 10 years ago

Woong HwangBo

9.0

Lychee, Pineapple, Mango
On the palate has Oxidative character with good performance — 10 years ago

Rob Guimaraes

9.3

Tasted blind and was all over Spatlese Mosel Riesling as the guess, even though the florals are more exotic and the minerality a wee less. Gorgeous. Why Michigan isn't getting more acclaim, I'm not sure...but, heck, I was a guilty party for not knowing. Precise. — 11 years ago

Carlin St. John

10

Some sugary-lemon peel notes, supper bubbly, crisp, light with just enough body. Love love love. — 11 years ago

Daniel P. Drake

9.0

Today I am trying another pinot noir from Chile. This one is from the Maipo Valley region in Chile and higher in the foot hills of the Andes Mountains. This is the 2012 Espino Pinot Noir from William Fevre, known for their Chablis from Burgundy. I really like this pinot noir. on the nose I receive red raspberries, nice earthy notes and some herbal essence. on the palate I can get sour cherry, sour plum, red raspberry, smooth tannin, medium acidity with a clean fresh finish. A real nice example of Pinot Noir for Chile. I bought this for $14.99. — 12 years ago

Lacy Dunn

9.2

I'm a sucker for a fun name and label. It's pretty good though, considering the price I paid. — 12 years ago

Bryant Bickel

9.6

Happy! Got that Italian foot print with a dark cocoa, dark cherry, licorice, boyensberry, layers and layers. Bella! — 12 years ago

Jeff Faulk

8.9

First Bonarda. Perfect for being out at the foot of the Andes watching "Sunset Boulevard" — 13 years ago

Johanna Ekblad

9.1

Great with a steak — 9 years ago

Dirk Pitt.

9.4

What a Riesling from Michigan? What a cool surprise. — 9 years ago

"Odedi"

9.2

It's time for my Friday's Cabernet fix. This time, a wonderful Chilean Cabernet.

Deep purple in color with a purplish rim.

Beautiful nose of blueberries, blackberries, black currants, plums, cooked cherries, oak, vanilla, licorice, earth, spices, peppercorn, leather, bell pepper, sage, peppermint, eucalyptus and smoke.

Full bodied with medium acidity and beautiful long legs.

Dry on the palate with blackberries, black currants, cherries, figs, cloves, herbs, earth, cola, vanilla, oak, spices, light vegetables, coffee, chocolates, bell pepper, tobacco, beef jerky and peppercorn.

Long finish with firm tannins and black pepper.

An elegant, Single Vineyard, Cabernet Sauvignon from Chile, with lots of complexity and fitness, but not fully balanced yet.

Still young now, but very enjoyable by itself, and better with BBQ Meats. I paired it with a cheese platter, crackers and nice company.

Grapes are grown at the foot hills of the Andes Mountains, on stony soils. 99% Cabernet Sauvignon and 1% Cabernet Franc.

14.5% alcohol by volume. — 10 years ago

Oliver Chapoy

9.1

There's something really weird happening and I can't quite pin point it — 10 years ago

WineMascot

9.3

One foot in cali, the other in burgundy. Their Merlot and their very small production chard is an insiders secret! — 11 years ago

Rob Sonogan

8.9

What a surprise for the price point. Great fruit for a young Pinot and smooth as any on the finish. — 11 years ago

Jeff Diamond

9.3

2011 deep flavors but really balanced and fleet of foot — 12 years ago

Kelly Hau

9.7

Original PIRA before chiara boschi last Barolo that was step on foot — 12 years ago

Alishia Odom

9.1

Alishia had this 12 years ago

Andrew Lampasone

Owner Wine Watch Selections

9.5

They started import company in 2008 these are Giorgione friends and all are farmers they are organic they are all friends working toward a similar goal. This is a typical grape of the piedmont has a unique aromas of pretty flowers chalk like mineral. Contrato was the first producer to make sparkling methode champenoise producer in it's 7000! Square foot cellar all products are vintage organic 90% vineyard Born in piedmont everything is done naturally no additives all natural. — 12 years ago

Steven Gunia

9.7

This Pinot Blanc is great! — 14 years ago