The Best West Coast Wineries to Sip Rosé

Crisp, light and utterly refreshing, a chilled bottle of rosé wine is hard to beat during the summer months. While Provence, France, is widely considered the ultimate hub of this pink wine, the West Coast of the United States has also harnessed the cool, oceanside climate to create quality rosés that can compete. Not a white wine, yet not quite a red wine, rosé is technically its own kind of vino, and since it is actually one of the most straightforward and simple to make with a skin contact method, experts at the GuildSomm International believe it to be one of the first wines ever created, likely in Greece or somewhere else along the Mediterranean.

Rosé wine’s iconic pink color can range from light and pale to vibrant and intense, and its flavor profile is equally diverse. Despite its feminine hue, rosé tends to be dry rather than sweet, and fruit-forward notes like strawberry, watermelon, peach and raspberry are common. From grenache and syrah to pinot noir and sangiovese, rosé can be made from a variety of grapes, giving it a unique range and palate. Whether you’re embarking on a girls’ trip to Santa Barbara wine country or exploring the best of Oregon’s Willamette Valley, these are the best West Coast wineries for rosé.