Wine Review ~ 2011 Passaggio Rosé

It’s not everyday that I come across a wine that gives me pause; a wine that grips my attention from first sight. But when I first laid eyes on the 2011 Passaggio Rosé I was intrigued, not just because of the beautiful rich color beaming out of the bottle, but because the label was striking as well. “Rose Colored Glasses” is the affectionate name that Cynthia Cosco, Passaggio Owner/Winemaker gave this wine. The label is fun and whimsical. It breaks the mold of the traditional wine label. The wrap-around style of the label instantly made me want to pick it up and turn it in every direction so that I could fully take it in. I love the scene on the label…in the background of the Rose Colored Glasses you can see the stop and go traffic that we all know too well. But when you peer into the Rose Colored Glasses you can see a beach scene, complete with palm trees, sand and an ocean horizon.

Rosés have been on my radar lately, but I haven’t really branched out much in this varietal. I’m definitely not the grand connoisseur of rosés so I thought it was time for me to find one that I really like…and I did! I loved the 2011 Passaggio Rosé and here’s why…

Most people assume that a rosé (a wine that looks pink) is going to be syrupy sweet. On the contrary, there are many amazing dry rosés on the market and the 2011 Passaggio Rosé is truly one of the best I’ve had. After I took in the beauty of the bottle and label, I decided to open it.



First of all, it was like no other rosé I’ve had. On the nose, there were bountiful cherry flavors. When I swirled my glass the vibrant deep pink color just took my breath away. When I took my first sip I got a goofy grin on my face which was the first indication that this was an outstanding wine. Now, don’t be fooled by the bright pink color, with 14.2% alcohol, this wine is not for the lightweight! It was also no surprise that 82% of this rosé was Dry Creek zinfandel. The zinfandel jammyness came through but not overwhelmingly. The rich deep red hue almost looked like candy in my glass only it wasn’t sweet at all – just dry and crisp, cool and refreshing. There was depth of flavors and a fruitfulness that lingered after each sip. Most people think of sweet when they hear the word fruit but it wasn’t sweet at all. The fruit was coming through the smell (think walking along at a Farmers Market smelling all the fruit.) You know how some wines have a signature taste, a tremendous aroma or flavor, that you can pick out of a crowd? Well, to me the 2011 Passaggio Rosé had a robust cherry flavor that I’ve never experienced before. From this point on, if you were to put a glass of 2011 Passaggio Rosé in front of me and not let me see the label, I would definitely be able to identify it. It is that unique.

Passaggio recommends pairing this rosé with “stuffed mushroom with goat cheese and toasted bread crumbs, light pasta dishes, pepperoni pizza, and light spicy dishes. Or simply enjoy each sip while sitting on the deck with friends and family.” My husband and I went outside and sat on the front porch to enjoy this wine in the warm summer evening. What a simple pleasure!

As with all wine, there is a winemaker behind each bottle who had a vision. The “Rose Colored Glasses” Rosé is very fitting for Cynthia, the Winemaker, who is following her passion with gusto and who always seems to have a positive attitude toward life. She ended a 15 year law enforcement career to become a Winemaker. After reading her biography, it seemed that once she got on this path of following her dreams doors began to open (whether by coincidence or a lot of hard work.) She stepped through each open door wholeheartedly. In the beginning of her winemaking journey she started out working part-time at BevMo then landed a job as a Harvest Temp with Chateau St Jean. From there she journeyed her way up the latter at Crushpad where she became the Winemaker. In 2007 she decided to step out completely on her own to start the Passaggio label. Since then she has produced an Unoaked Chardonnay, Pinot Grigio, Rosé and next on the list is Pinot Noir.

You know how there are some people who just stand out as brave and passionate even though you don’t know them very deeply? Well, Cynthia is that kind of person. She has found a way to bottle her bravery and passion in the form of this 2011 Rosé. There is nothing like it. If you’ve never tried a rosé before, this is a great one to start with. If you are a seasoned rosé drinker and have never had the 2011 Passaggio Rosé, then you’ve got to give it a try.

I will be traveling to Portland Oregon in a couple weeks for the 2012 Wine Blogger Conference and I plan to bring the 2011 Passaggio Rosé to share with my fellow Wine Bloggers. I strongly encourage you to check it out as well ~ Cheers!