It’s rare to find a wine that pleases a wide range of taste preferences during a tasting. However, Smitten consistently does just that. Crafted from the Marquette grape, this sweeter rosé contains 6.1% residual sugar and delivers broad appeal. The wine shows fresh flavors of strawberry and raspberry, followed by a sweet-tart finish of lime that keeps each sip balanced and refreshing.
Marquette is a hybrid grape known for its versatility and resilience. In particular, growers value it for its strong resistance to cold temperatures and mildew. Wine drinkers appreciate its bold fruit character and adaptability across styles. At St. Julian, Marquette first appeared as a powerful dry red wine. Later, it became a key component in a sweet red blend.
This release marks the first time St. Julian has crafted Marquette as a rosé. As a result, the wine highlights the grape’s flexibility and expressive nature. Marquette is a red grape with deep color and concentrated fruit. To create this rosé, the team harvested the grapes early to preserve natural acidity. They then pressed the fruit immediately to limit skin contact and shape the rosé style.
Marquette stands apart because its flesh contains red pigment, not just the skins. Because of this, the rosé shows a rich, dark pink hue. Despite its color, the wine drinks light and refreshing. Bright red berry flavors lead the palate with clarity and lift. To finish, the winemaking team blended in a small amount of Traminette grape juice to enhance citrus notes and sweetness.
Rosé wines pair well with food thanks to their fruit-forward profiles and fresh acidity. In this case, Smitten follows that tradition beautifully. Enjoy it with chocolate-covered strawberries, charcuterie, cheesecake, raspberry chicken, pork, seafood, or a variety of cheeses. This wine offers easy enjoyment and quickly earns a place as a crowd favorite.
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