2019 County Line Rose Elke Home Ranch Anderson Valley 750 ml

When Radio-Coteau’s Eric Sussman launched his County Line label, his bold strategy for delicate wines took him up the winding, forested conduit along the Pacific bluffs of Northern California into Mendocino County where thriving Pinot Noir vines gave life to the New York Times’ #1 California rosé. 

This micro-production wine is a mouthwatering steal on a seductive, wild herb and watermelon-scented rosé from a winemaking hero. The gorgeous salmon color suggests Provençal influence, but the lush berry notes combined with thirst-quenching drinkability is 100% California.

Racy and cleansing with tangy acidity, Sussman set out to make an “oyster rosé” with his single-vineyard bottling that started in 2005. County Line has been an annual hit with critics since its birth, and the 2019 received 90-point praise from Vinous. Even winemaking superstars like Angelo Gaja from Barbaresco have called on Sussman personally to import his wines. 

Standing in the Elke Home Ranch Vineyard, you might feel like you’re closer to France than Napa Valley. The grape skins tighten each afternoon in the cold air, just as the hairs on the back of your neck perk up at the first touch of the Pacific wind. Here, under the stewardship of second-generation grower Matt Elke, the vines behind the 2019 County Line Rosé spend their days breathing wild pennyroyal, which grows freely between the vines.

Before the hype of Radio-Coteau (French slang for “word of mouth”), Sussman apprenticed at illustrious Château Baron Phillipe de Rothschild and Comte Armand, where he was inspired by the laissez-faire winemaking and biodynamic viticulture. Sussman’s unquenching commitment to California terroir through Old World natural winemaking has made him one of the most sought-after winemakers in the country. 

Mendocino has long been a secluded secret for some of the best vineyard sites in the country, especially for Pinot Noir. When the fresh Pinot Noir grapes meet the hands of this coveted French-influenced winemaker, the glory of one of the classiest California rosés is undeniable to the last sip. For this unheard-of value, the 2019 County Line Rosé Elke Home Ranch Anderson Valley may become your new year-round rosé.