2011 Brown Estate Betelgeuse Napa Valley Rosé Half Case

6 x 2011 Brown Estate Betelgeuse Napa Valley Rosé

I know what you're thinking: Who on earth uses Napa Valley Cabernet to make rosé? But, trust me, you can taste the royalty of the Cabernet shining through in this Provençal-style wine – which is exactly what the Brown family intended. The Browns are so dedicated and passionate about everything they do from their vineyard to their winery, all the members of the family get on the phone with me when I call. That's how much they care about every last, little detail. And it shows in this wine.

This rosé is your perfect summer sipper, certain to set the convivial mood of each and every gathering you hold or attend. This wine is the best of both worlds: big, bold and zesty as a red wine, but with the refreshing texture and weight of a white. The flavor profile is unlike any other California rosé – aromas of chamomile blossoms and flavors of stone fruit will lure you in for one sip after another. The bottles will be empty before you know it.

Betelguese is the designation the Browns use every few years for only their most fun and playful wines – it's just a way to be creative for their loyal and growing wine club. This is only the third Betelguese (pronounced "beetle juice") produced in the Browns' 15 years of winemaking. To quote the label: "Betelguese* [1] A red 'supergiant' star that sits on the right 'shoulder' of the constellation Orion. Betelgeuse is one of two extant first magnitude supergiants; it is Orion's second brightest star, the ninth brightest star in the sky, and one of the largest stars visible to the human eye. [2] A stellar rosé table wine."

I know nothing about astronomy, but the second definition is absolutely true. This wine was produced using the saignée method, a traditional process for making rosé in the south of France, in which a portion of the juice is "bled off" from a tank full of crushed red grapes after only a very short period of contact with the grape skins. The brief contact time results in the lovely copper-salmon color you get in theses rosé wines.

Lot18 members are getting a shot at this wine before Brown Estate's own wine-club members. Only 275 cases were produced, so if you don't take this chance to taste how incredible a Napa Cab can be as a rosé, you probably won't get another.

Tasting Note
The wine is almost ethereal in appearance, a copper rosy gold. The nose is intriguing, almost like iced green tea with a touch of the chamomile blossoms you find while on a hike in the eastern hills of Napa. The weighty palate tastes like a freshly picked apricot, kissed by the sun with notes of tangerine, raspberry, Meyer lemon, strawberry and ruby red grapefruit. Pair with everything – hearty Mexican Thai or Chinese fare, grilled lobster, herbed chicken, grilled pork roast, charred veggies, you name it – or nothing at all. This wine sets the mood for your summertime festivities.

—Punky Mahle

Punky Mahle has more than 15 years of experience in the wine and food industries, most recently with luxury resorts. Before joining Lot18 as a Napa/Sonoma Wine Specialist, Punky was a sommelier with The Phoenician in Scottsdale, Ariz., and the wine director for the Ritz Carlton in Phoenix. Punky currently lives, works and plays in Napa Valley. She’s thrilled to share her backyard with Lot18 members and be able to bring the region’s most exciting wines to the community. Learn more about Punky here, or follow her on Twitter: @punkytime