Modesty is not characteristic of the Wolffer Estate brand. Their sparkling rosé is named Noblesse Oblige and their newest release, a premium rosé, is called Grandioso. These wines are, in a sense, the ambitious offspring of a more humble parent with an unembellished name, plain old Wolffer Rosé—an everyday wine (at $17) that is as much a part of summer in the Hamptons as a refreshing sea breeze on a long golden afternoon.
Rosés occupy an unusual place in the wine trade: among the most enjoyable warm weather wines, distinguished more by fruity freshness than by profundity, and on the inexpensive side, often under $15. The upper end of the rosé market is dominated by Domaines Ott, whose popular Chateau de Selle Rosé, from Provence, is priced around $35. And you see plenty of it in the Hamptons. With Grandioso, priced at $29, Wolffer appears to be making a bold bid to move into this premium rosé territory.
The 2009 Grandioso is clearly a first-rate rosé . In music the word grandioso is a directive to sound majestic and noble, but the flavors of the wine are more refined and harmonious than dramatic. It’s quite pale in color, like a delicate flower, with a subtle and fragrant nose hinting of both fruit (berries, lime, melon) and minerals. It’s lively enough for afternoon sipping on the lawn, but probably best paired with seafood, poultry, cheeses and hors d’oeuvres.