Hamilton Cellars 2009 Rosé of Malbec - The Perfect Holiday Wine?

Don't wait too long to purchase this wine for your holiday celebrations.

My wife and I recently visited Hamilton Cellars tasting room in Richland, Washington. The first wine we sampled was the 2009 Rosé of Malbec. I originally tasted their Malbec in February. My wife had never sampled their Rosé, so I was interested in her reaction.

This Rosé is a bit darker and bigger than most, it is a lovely, clear, candy red. The color reminds me of the cherry suckers we used to get at the dentist office as kids - a perfect color for the holiday season. On the first taste of this crisp, dry, wine I had some instant free associations – I thought of cranberries, visualizing the cranberry dressing my wife made last year and I saw turkey at the dinner table with stuffing and sweet potatoes then I heard laughter, followed by the image of our fireplace, friends with glasses of wine, falling snow, and cranberries again. Whoa, a holiday wine indeed. This Rosé has some depth and is far more interesting to me than some of the one dimensional Rosés out there. I turned to my wife to see what she thought of the Rosé of Malbec… only to see that she already had two bottles next to her and had a big smile on her face.

Perhaps this is the perfect holiday wine for 2011.

Priced at $18 per bottle, this wine will be served at our table this holiday season. Recommended pairing: turkey, ham, roast beef, stuffing, cranberry dressing, mac and cheese, sweet potatoes and pumpkin pie, to be shared with friends, family, and fireplaces. Hamilton Cellars wine club members receive a 15% discount on bottles.

This wine is made by renowned winemaker Charlie Hoppes.

Hamilton Cellars is owned by Stacie and Russ Hamilton. Stacie was our friendly hostess when we visited the tasting room and she remarked that every time Charlie stops by, he has a glass of the Rosé of Malbec. Charlie has spent the past 20 + years as a leading winemaker for several noted Washington wineries. He was Assistant Winemaker at Chateau Ste. Michelle in Woodinville, then Head Red Winemaker at Chateau Ste. Michelle's facility at Paterson, where he helped create the premium label for Col Solare's first two vintages. In 1999 Charlie worked to help start Three Rivers Winery in Walla Walla, and then began his own label for Fidelitas wines in 2000. Although Charlie serves as consulting winemaker for various wineries, he has the talent to meld his extensive winemaking skills with the palates of the owners, creating a unique reflection for each winery.

Hamilton Cellars is located in Queens Gate Village, on Keene Road in South Richland. Check their website for events and live music, www.hamiltoncellars.com. They have plenty of room for you and your friends - put them on your must visit list.

Hamilton Cellars
1950 Keene Rd, Bldg I, Richland, WA 99352
Phone: 509-628-8227, 509-628-2907 (fax)
Tasting room is open: Wednesday & Sunday 12:00 - 5:00 pm, Thursday 12:00 - 6:00pm, Friday - Sat 12:00 - 8:00 pm, or by appointment*
Closed Christmas and New Year's Day

Cheers!

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