Idlewild Flora & Fauna Rosé 2019, Mendocino County, California

Flora and Fauna loosely means the collection of plant and animal life of a certain epoch. Piedmontese-inspired owner and winemaker Sam Bilbro, born, raised and based in Sonoma County, picks selectively to make this light, refreshingly complex wine. “For 2019, the rosé is a co-fermented blend of 36% Nebbiolo, 27% Barbera, and 37% Dolcetto. While the wine is designated as Mendocino County, the fruit largely comes from Fox Hill Vineyard. Located southeast of Ukiah on Mendocino’s Talmage Bench, the soils are well drained with high concentrations of gravel and sandstone. This vintage of the rosé is all the bright and fresh sides of rosé we love with an added depth to pair with food. There is a play between savory versus fresh and subtlety versus power that make this wine very intriguing. The aromas are wound up around orange peel, tart strawberry, grapefruit, alpine herbs, wildflowers, and sea spray. The 3 varieties can all be seen in the structure: Nebbiolo lends the crunchy minerality, Dolcetto lends a delicate softness, and Barbera lends bright acidity.