La Crema Rosé: Our Little ‘Passion Project’
Fresh and crisp aren’t often words you think of when talking about Pinot Noir. The grape is most often used to produce a dry red wine, but for summer sipping, there’s a whole new way to enjoy this varietal. When thinking about pairings for backyard picnics or beach outings, consider a lovely La Crema Rosé.
What Exactly is Rosé Wine?
Rosé is a style of wine known for its beautiful pink color and crisp, refreshing character — perfect for warm days and easygoing moments. Unlike red wine, where the grape skins stay in contact with the juice throughout fermentation, rosé is made by giving the juice just a brief time with the skins. This creates a wine that’s lighter than red, but still full of bright, juicy flavors.
Rosés can range from dry to sweet, but at La Crema, we love a dry, vibrant style that highlights notes of strawberry, white peach, cranberry, and rose petal. It’s the kind of wine that feels effortless, lively, and perfect for celebrating everything from picnics to just-because afternoons.
Light, refreshing Rosé is the perfect wine for sun, fun and summery picnics. Read this article from the Pottery Barn Blog for more tips on packing the perfect picnic. | Styling and concept: Ashley Pepitone | Photography: Janet Howard Studio
A labor of love
It was “crazy,” because the price a bottle of red Pinot Noir could bring on the market was higher than a blush wine. “The Rosé is from our top Russian River Valley vineyards, exactly the same grapes that go into our La Crema Pinot Noir. In fact, we pull juice from same tanks as the Pinot Noir.” – La Crema winemaker.
There are various ways of making a Rosé wine, but our winemaker believes that the method called saignée (from the French word for “bleeding”) produces the most classic wines.
First, the Pinot Noir grapes are crushed in small tanks. Then the grape juice, held at a cold temperature to prevent fermentation from starting, rests on the grape skins (which contain the coloring pigments) for a few days, until the wine has achieved the perfect color: a bright, translucent cherry-ruby hue that seems to wink in the light.
Once the color is right, the juice is filtered into stainless steel tanks, where cold fermentation occurs. The wine is released on Mother’s Day the following Spring.
Terrifically versatile: Our Rosé is a great compliment to shellfish, Thanksgiving dinner, or delicate macarons
Production of our Rosé remains miniscule. “It’s our little passion project,” – the La Crema Winemaker. The wine is available exclusively at our tasting room and web store – or through our wine club membership.
Tasting and Pairing
La Crema Rosé’s are vibrant, with flavors of strawberries, white peach, cranberries and rose petal, enlivened with orange zest and a splash of lime juice.
Rosé wines are among the most versatile in the world when it comes to food pairing. La Crema’s chefs once prepared a salad of Dungeness crab and watermelon, with a strawberry-rhubarb vinaigrette and fresh tarragon. “It was amazing,” Elizabeth remembers. You can easily create the recipe at home – click here for details.
How to Serve Rosé Wine for the Best Flavor
One of the best parts of sipping La Crema Rosé is how it evolves in the glass — but to enjoy all of its delicate aromas and bright fruit flavors, serving it just right makes all the difference. Here are some general Rosé serving tips:
- Keep it cool, but not freezing. Ideally, rosé should be served between 45–55°F. If it’s too cold, some of those beautiful notes of strawberry, peach, and rose petal can get a little muted.
- Chilling tip: Pop your bottle in the fridge for about two hours before serving. In a hurry? A quick 20-minute ice bath will do the trick. Just add ice, water, and a handful of salt to speed up the chilling!
- As you sip, let it breathe. Part of rosé’s charm is how it gently opens up with a little warmth. As your glass sits, you’ll start to notice the flavors becoming even more expressive — a little more floral here, a little more juicy there.
- Hosting outdoors? Keep your La Crema Rosé cool by placing it in a wine bucket with ice and water, but take it out now and then to avoid over-chilling. A slightly cool, refreshing glass is perfect for sunny backyard parties, beach days, or lazy summer afternoons.
The goal? A glass of La Crema Rosé that feels just as effortless and vibrant as the moment you’re celebrating.
Cheers to Rosé Moments
From its gorgeous hue to its bright, refreshing flavors, Rosé is truly one of wine’s simplest pleasures. Whether you’re toasting a summer sunset, packing a picnic basket, or setting a beautiful table for Thanksgiving, La Crema Rosé brings a splash of joy to every occasion.
Our Rosé has always been a little labor of love — made with care, passion, and a lot of heart by our winemaking team. We hope every sip brings you a little bit of that spirit.
Looking to bring more La Crema magic to your table? Be sure to visit our online store or tasting room to discover our Rosé and other small-lot wines, crafted to make every gathering even more special.
Here’s to bright glasses, easy laughter, and many more moments worth savoring. Cheers!
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