2021 Lorenza True Rosé California 750 ml

For decades now, wine lovers have looked straight to the sea-sprayed coast of Provence for the ultimate in divine, elegant, mouthwatering rosé.

That’s where the mother-daughter team of Melinda Kearney and Michèle Ouellet found inspiration for one of our favorite rosés being made in California.

The gorgeous 2021 Lorenza True Rosé is a California-born gem that delivers its Provençal inspiration in every sip. Hailing from one of the most storied regions in the Golden State, it’s a beautifully crafted rarity: a rosé made from vines that top a half-century in age. It’s also the only wine this woman-owned winery makes, and it’ll have you dreaming of lazy days under the umbrellas at a Côte d’Azur café.

In the past, Kearney and Ouellet sourced their grapes from vineyards in multiple regions, but in the last two years the pair has gotten all their fruit from Lodi, one of California wine’s most history-rich regions. From its ancient vineyards, Lodi delivers some of the most distinctive wines in the New World.

Built on Mourvèdre (44%), it’s got a healthy 27% dose of Carignan that comes from head-trained vines that are 50 to 70 years of age, yielding tiny, concentrated grapes. Cinsault and Grenache round out the blend, with the former coming from Lodi’s own-rooted Bechtold Vineyard, planted in 1886.

Kearney and Ouellet press the grapes exceptionally gently then ferment them long and slow in stainless-steel tanks to preserve fresh-fruit flavor and vibrant acidity. The result is a peach-hued everyday drinker that glows like its Provençal inspiration but delivers a uniquely Californian character.