2012 Spelletich 3 Spells Rosé

I was first introduced to Spelletich Family Winery in October of last year when I reviewed four of their bottles. Since then, they've moved to their own winemaking and crush facility in South Napa and have opened up a tasting room that offers pairings with chocolates made by Feast It Forward and Kollar.

The "3 Spells" line features their mid-range wines priced between $22-30, with the Spelletich Cellars brand occupying the $30-65 range and Spellwine covering the $15-20 market. These are very reasonable prices for small-production Napa wines, and your best bet is to order directly from the website. This rosé, for instance, was produced in a run of 90 cases, meaning that there are 1,080 bottles out there (1,079 after I consumed this one). It will sell out at some point, but sampling these kinds of wines is always a unique experience and one that is fun to share with friends. Not to show off, but rather to share the pleasure of something that was made in the right quantity given the resources available. It's like a jar of honey from the farmer's market: that guy who lets his bees harvest from blueberry bushes all season is never going to be able to scale up to nationwide distribution, but you can still cherish the opportunity to drizzle it over your toast in the morning until the jar is empty.

2012 Spelletich 3 Spells Rosé
Napa Valley
Proprietary blend of Merlot and Cabernet Sauvignon
$25, 14% abv.
90 cases made

Bright nose of ripe strawberries and lemon, with firm acidity and a slight sweetness. Gentle finish. I enjoyed it with a great grilled chicken salad including berries and soft goat cheese--a lovely combination on a rather warm Memphis weekend here in what passes for winter these days.

Note: This wine was provided as a sample for review.