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

Chad Watkins

9.0

Beautiful. Great sparkling. Everyone should drink. — 10 years ago

Matt Berkovitch

Sommelier Babbo

9.9

Among the best wine I've ever been lucky enough to drink. Perfect balance and acidity that engulfs your mouth. Deeper than deep — 10 years ago

Scott Moye-Rowley

9.0

The perfect drink to toast a Fall Saturday — 11 years ago

Howard Yang

10

Pure pleasure to drink, mellow aroma of rice, fragrant and ethereal, this sake is all about suave and smoothness, long finish to heaven. — 11 years ago

Alejandra Florez

10

Easy to drink, perfect for unwinding after work — 11 years ago

with Aaron

Haley Reuther

9.7

Dry and flavorful---easy to drink! Really enjoy this wine 👍 — 12 years ago

Brandon Woo

9.7

Easy to drink with a decent amount of depth — 13 years ago

Cake Girl

9.9

Holy bananas, batman. Drink this shit. — 8 years ago

Matt Beyard

9.3

Beautiful cool climate Syrah. Absolutely delicious and a pleasure to drink. — 8 years ago

Carl Fischer

9.5

After two days recovering from WNH (not sure I’m really recovered), I’m ready to drink again. This just recently arrived so decided to give it a go. Glad I did - this is beautiful. Perfectly aged and drinking phenomenally well right out of the bottle. The nose offers loads of cassis and red fruit which mirrors the palate. Super soft tannins and medium bodied. Parker gave it a 90 which is ludicrous. This wine is GREAT. — 9 years ago

Ashlee Howarth

9.1

Light-bodied, apple and caramel flavours. I could definitely drink this all night. — 9 years ago

Natalie Farrigan

9.0

Yeah yeah rosé in a can. Pretty damn good. Watermelon, some stone fruit, not bad. Want to go to the beach just to have a reason to drink these. — 10 years ago

Marcie Molek

8.9

Smoorh and ever so easy to drink. — 10 years ago

with Karl

Chelli Webster

VP Marketing/Sales Webster Cellars

9.3

Was perfect for a snowy evening in Aspen, CO during Christmas. Was perfect and ready to drink. — 10 years ago

Jana Strange

9.3

Really good, light and easy to drink. Had with chicken stir fry at Andrew's. Definitely would buy again. — 11 years ago

Kevin O'Connor

9.2

Always a great drink . . . — 11 years ago

Nick Farrell

9.3

Had this at Benu if San Francisco. Delicious and I typically don't drink sake. — 11 years ago

Becky Davis

8.9

Pleasing, easy drink. Smooth, earthy with subtle fruity tones. Good buy! — 12 years ago

Christy Winterbottom

9.0

Great to drink with friends. Smooth, fruity but dry, goes great with a beef dish. Slightly more expensive so it won’t be a regular bottle except for company. — 8 years ago

Michal Sulkowski

9.3

Always consistent whatever Vineyard you drink. — 9 years ago

Greg Ballington

Co-Founder of Millennial Drinkers Wine Blog

9.0

Last of the two blind Zinfandel blends paired with our turkey burgers and black bean veggie burgers. Deep and dark mix of garnet and ruby red. Mute nose with notes of gunpowder, brambles, and a bit savory. Medium tannins (6.5/10) and medium to medium plus bodied. Dark and rich on the palate with lots of pepper. Some dark berries, graphite and purple floral notes. Long finish. Drink till 2020.

This is the inaugural vintage of this Heritage wine bottling from the Nervo Ranch in Alexander Valley with some vines being planted as far back as 1896. The 2013 Bedrock Wine Co. Nervo Ranch Heritage Wine is made up of an insane amount of varietals, twelve in total. Consisting of Zinfandel, Pinot St. George, Petite Sirah, Alicante Bouschet, Grand Noir, Grenache, Carignane, Trousseau Noir, Cardinal, Burger, Sémillon and Sauvignon Blanc. Solid wine with some good layers. — 9 years ago

with Sean and India

Nathan Timm

9.5

To the tune of "play that song" - "drink that wine, the one that tastes oh so fine." — 9 years ago

with Kim

Laura Buergler

9.1

I like to drink my dessert 🤗 — 10 years ago

Katie Britton

9.0

LOVE this bottle. Great semi sweet red, perfect price. I could drink this all day! We did a wine tasting of 7 different wines and this was everyone's favorite by far — 10 years ago

Kiley Baker

Certified Specialist of Wine/Educator/Owner of Wine Genie LLC

9.2

Special wine from Sonoma, which I don't drink often. Cool producer doing interesting things on the CA wine scene. Top notch. Purchased at Flat Iron wines NYC. — 10 years ago

Becky Swan

9.2

Light and fruity. Easy to drink. — 11 years ago

Liz Hale

9.1

Love me some Richard Betts! Grenache base- big fruit Bomb with a funky backbeat. Drink while listening to Bird or Miles Davis. — 11 years ago

Adia Finn

9.1

Excellent. Not super complex though. Balanced. Will drink again. — 11 years ago

Steve Anderson

9.2

Seems a touch sweeter than previous bottles, but still a joy to drink. — 12 years ago