The 2025 Anonymous Wine Collective Santa Cruz Mountains Rosé of Pinot Noir is the most wonderful, happy accident of the year!
A few months back, I visited a renowned estate winery tucked deep in the redwoods, high in the Santa Cruz Mountains, to select barrels and craft an Anonymous Pinot Noir bottling we'd been planning for quite some time. After picking out my favorite barrels and putting together a blend for what promises to be an incredible Pinot Noir (coming next month!), I spotted a small stainless steel tank labeled "25 Rosé of PN." Naturally, curiosity got the better of me, and I asked if I could taste it. I was immediately smitten!
The wine was simply stunning - an ethereal, vibrant, beautifully pure expression of crunchy, fresh Santa Cruz Mountains Pinot Noir. So bright, delicate, and utterly captivating. I immediately asked if the wine was spoken for, and after a little friendly persuasion, managed to convince the winemaker to part with some so we could bottle it under our Anonymous Wine Collective label alongside the Pinot Noir we'd just blended. What an unexpected bonus!
Now, admittedly, this 2025 Rosé is arriving a little later than most, but to be honest, I think the wine is all the better for it. While we worked through the logistics of labels and bottling, the wine enjoyed a little extra time on its fine lees, followed by some additional bottle age. The result is a beautifully harmonious, expressive Rosé that's absolutely singing right now.
With its vibrant acidity, crystalline red berry fruit, and wonderfully refreshing character, this wine will be a perfect companion for the Thanksgiving table. But don't think for a second that its drinking window is limited to the holidays! There's more than enough freshness, energy, and verve here to carry it effortlessly through next spring and summer. In fact, I've long maintained that many of the best rosés are only just hitting their stride at this time of year, once they've had a chance to settle into themselves and develop a little more depth and complexity.
I couldn't be more excited that this chance discovery turned into another fantastic Anonymous Wine Collective release. A truly special little wine from one of my favorite California wine regions, and one that I'm absolutely stoked to share with you.
Enjoy, cheers!
