I received this lovely bottle on Wednesday after a craptastic day at work. Noting it’s lack of deep red color , I popped it in the refrigerator until I could give it the attention it deserves (tonight and tomorrow). After two more craptastic days…
Tonight’s notes will be relatively quick. My WiFi is wonky and I’m typing on my phone.
Lovely pale pink/salmon color. Both the palate and nose are pretty muted when cold, so I let it warm up a bit to somewhere in the 50-55F range. Nose has lots of citrus (particularly grapefruit) and a nice rich melon note. It’s crisp and clean on the palate with a nice acid backbone. As for flavor, I’m gonna stick with the grapefruit for now, with some light berries…perhaps a bit of baking spice, though I ate an apple cider donut a little while ago, so that might just be lingering on my palate (or in my head…or on my fingers).
I will definitely revisit tomorrow evening with a more appropriate pairing and return with more impressions.
Thanks Ariana, Winedavid, and the Casemates crew for the opportunity to rat. I firmly believe the rat program is what sets us apart from the rest of the wine sites and am happy to contribute!
I think this was also offered July 2018, so there may be others in the Casemates family who can chime in… come out, come out wherever you are!
Wow! Two Lab Rats! The generosity of Casemates sending out free bottles of wine to strangers on the internet is why this place is so amazing!
This is also the first time I was selected to be a Lab Rat. After getting over my initial suspicion of a random bottle of wine showing up at my door–I saw the email from Casemates and squealed like I just won the Publisher’s Clearing House Sweepstakes!
Enough story time…onto the wine!
I opened the box and exclaimed: “It’s pink! Into the fridge you go!” After a day or two of chilling next to my jar of pickles, I took it out last night to enjoy. As our other Lab Rat described above, it has a more peachy tone to it when poured. Here is my gratuitous pose with the casemates glass:
The smell.
In the glass, you smell a strong fruity smell. More experienced folks have described this as: “a pungent nose of pink grapefruit and ripe tangerine.” (from Matt Kettman, Wine Enthusiast). I couldn’t place my finger on it, but “super fruity” is what I scribbled on my kitchen note pad.
So…how does it taste?!
To me, I got an initial sharp citrus taste…then it sort of mellowed out. (sort of like eating a grapefruit). Tart, almost acidic, then it ends smooth. This is consistent with my boy Matt, who says: “The palate picks up more of a yellow-grapefruit expression, remaining fresh and tart.”
What to pair it with?
This is where my serious lack of grocery shopping this week left me unprepared for my Lab Rat duties. I scrounged my empty fridge and came up with what remained of a piece of sharp cheddar (no pun intended) and decided to do a sweet vs. savory comparison of this wine. This little Lab Rat ate her cheese and sipped her wine. The cheddar and wine combo was great! The cheddar dulled the initial sharpness and brought out the sweeter, fruitier tones of the latter, more mellow taste. For my sweet comparison, I only had the Halloween candy that I’ve made the mistake of purchasing too early in the season (and have been slowly stealing from would-be trick-or-treaters). I stole (yet another) package of Wild Berry Skittles to sample with my wine. Skittles and this wine do not mix. The sharpness of the wine hit the back of my throat hard. Skittles do not bring out any of the flavors of this wine! I’m sure my buddy Matt over at Wine Enthusiast is laughing at me right now.
Thanks for letting me be a Lab Rat for the first time! I hope I did good (except for the Skittles part…I’m sorry about that).
Second time lab rat, very excited to be picked again. My wife and I opened this last night.
Color: Nice pale provencal style wine
Nose: Melon and citrus
Palate: Grapefruit was the most prominent flavor with a little strawberry as well. It had a pleasant acidity that let it pair well with some fatty burgers and guacamole.
I think this is a great summer sipper with enough going on to stand up to food, it would probably go well with seafood. At under $9/bottle this is great deal, way better than the pinks you’re likely to find at a LWS at that price.
Nathan here, I am the winemaker for Fossil Point Wines. Happy to share one of my favorite everyday bottles - Our Rose is Grenache based, supremely fruity, but dry enough to pair well with a whole range of foods. We press really gently and quickly, to avoid picking up bitterness and color from the skins of the grapes. Fermentation is primarily in temperature-controlled stainless steel tanks, but with some barrel ferments included as well.
Fossil Point is named for a nearby headland over the Pacific Ocean, where all our fog and marine influence come inland. We are committed to sustainable, authentic wines from this coastal region.
@rjquillin 3.24 is a super low pH - which basically sets the clock on how white wines age - so this bottle is drinking very fresh and bright, I am sure this will be enjoyable though into 2020. We were pleased to come across a little extra stash of this wine after we thought it had all sold out, and happy to offer it here, as it was well-received last time around!
@FossilWine@rjquillin for sure - pH is active acidity. For one thing, it determines which microbes can live in the wine, and most importantly has a huge effect on the activity of SO2, the major antioxidant in white wine. So lower pH = longer life! This is the reason that german riesling and white burgundy can be so long lived.
How much more are you saving by buying a full case?
(Note: Tax & Shipping not included in savings calculations)
2017 Fossil Point Central Coast Rosé - $16 = 15.09%
90 Points, Jeb Dunnuck
“I loved the 2017 Fossil Point Rose, and it has a Provencal slant in its orange rind, citrus, and salty aromas and flavors. Drink this clean, vibrant, impeccably balanced beauty over the coming handful of months.”
Our vines are rooted in cool-climate pockets along California’s Central Coast. Here, cold marine air moderates the daytime temperatures, and fosters perfect conditions for quality wine. For the Fossil Point Rosé, Grenache and Syrah fruit is hand-harvested and made in a ‘Direct-to-Press’ style, maximizing fruit character and smooth palate feel. Fermented both in neutral French oak and in temperature-controlled stainless steel tanks, it is bottled early to be enjoyed in the first year.
Pale pink in color. Expressive aromas of passionfruit and citrus leap from the glass. Classic Provençal flavor profile of strawberry and melon, with a balance of acidity and fruit on the palate. Perfect with summertime meals of garden vegetables, wood-fired pizza, or nearly anything cooked outdoors on the grill.
Vintage and Winemaker Notes
On California’s Central Coast, our vines are never far from the influence of the sea. Sunny afternoons yield daily to brisk marine breezes, and the growing season is directly shaped by the seasonal flow of the currents and surface temperature of the nearby Pacific Ocean. Even our soils of calcareous shale and coarse sand were uplifted from the ancient ocean floor and weathered into place over the millennia.
Fossil Point pays tribute to this bond between sea and vine. Located less than five miles due west of our winery, Fossil Point is a rugged headland with sweeping views of the coastline from Port San Luis to the Guadalupe Dunes. Standing on Fossil Point, you can enjoy the same ocean breezes that are on their way to our vineyards, where they will guide our vines to perfect ripeness.
Specifications
Vintage: 2017
Vineyard Sources: 97% Grenache, 3% Syrah
Appellation: Central Coast
Hand-harvested, Direct to Press
Fermentation in Stainless Steel and neutral French oak barrels
Named for the rugged headland with sweeping views of the Central California coastline, Fossil Point pays tribute to the bond between sea and vine. Our vineyard sources are all in close proximity to the cold Pacific Ocean, and are shaped by the seasonal flow of its surface currents, sea breezes and fog. Our soils are composed of coarse sand and calcareous shales uplifted from the ancient seafloor and weathered into place over millenia. We farm with close attention to our delicate coastal environment always aiming for the highest sustainable quality from our land. Our winemaking is hands-on, small scale, and attentive to the individual needs of each lot of grapes.
Fossil Point wines are crafted for high quality, approachability, and affordability for any occasion. Our ethos reflects the natural ease of Central California’s landscape, and the hospitality of our coastal lifestyle.
Available States
AZ, CA, CO, CT, DC, FL, IL, IA, KS, LA, ME, MD, MA, MI, MN, MO, MT, NV, NH, NJ, NY, NC, OH, OR, PA, TX, VA, WA, WV, WY
Lab Rat reporting for duty!
I received this lovely bottle on Wednesday after a craptastic day at work. Noting it’s lack of deep red color , I popped it in the refrigerator until I could give it the attention it deserves (tonight and tomorrow). After two more craptastic days…
Tonight’s notes will be relatively quick. My WiFi is wonky and I’m typing on my phone.
Lovely pale pink/salmon color. Both the palate and nose are pretty muted when cold, so I let it warm up a bit to somewhere in the 50-55F range. Nose has lots of citrus (particularly grapefruit) and a nice rich melon note. It’s crisp and clean on the palate with a nice acid backbone. As for flavor, I’m gonna stick with the grapefruit for now, with some light berries…perhaps a bit of baking spice, though I ate an apple cider donut a little while ago, so that might just be lingering on my palate (or in my head…or on my fingers).
I will definitely revisit tomorrow evening with a more appropriate pairing and return with more impressions.
Thanks Ariana, Winedavid, and the Casemates crew for the opportunity to rat. I firmly believe the rat program is what sets us apart from the rest of the wine sites and am happy to contribute!
I think this was also offered July 2018, so there may be others in the Casemates family who can chime in… come out, come out wherever you are!
TGIF and Cheers!
Wow! Two Lab Rats! The generosity of Casemates sending out free bottles of wine to strangers on the internet is why this place is so amazing!
This is also the first time I was selected to be a Lab Rat. After getting over my initial suspicion of a random bottle of wine showing up at my door–I saw the email from Casemates and squealed like I just won the Publisher’s Clearing House Sweepstakes!
Enough story time…onto the wine!
I opened the box and exclaimed: “It’s pink! Into the fridge you go!” After a day or two of chilling next to my jar of pickles, I took it out last night to enjoy. As our other Lab Rat described above, it has a more peachy tone to it when poured. Here is my gratuitous pose with the casemates glass:
The smell.
In the glass, you smell a strong fruity smell. More experienced folks have described this as: “a pungent nose of pink grapefruit and ripe tangerine.” (from Matt Kettman, Wine Enthusiast). I couldn’t place my finger on it, but “super fruity” is what I scribbled on my kitchen note pad.
So…how does it taste?!
To me, I got an initial sharp citrus taste…then it sort of mellowed out. (sort of like eating a grapefruit). Tart, almost acidic, then it ends smooth. This is consistent with my boy Matt, who says: “The palate picks up more of a yellow-grapefruit expression, remaining fresh and tart.”
What to pair it with?
This is where my serious lack of grocery shopping this week left me unprepared for my Lab Rat duties. I scrounged my empty fridge and came up with what remained of a piece of sharp cheddar (no pun intended) and decided to do a sweet vs. savory comparison of this wine. This little Lab Rat ate her cheese and sipped her wine. The cheddar and wine combo was great! The cheddar dulled the initial sharpness and brought out the sweeter, fruitier tones of the latter, more mellow taste. For my sweet comparison, I only had the Halloween candy that I’ve made the mistake of purchasing too early in the season (and have been slowly stealing from would-be trick-or-treaters). I stole (yet another) package of Wild Berry Skittles to sample with my wine. Skittles and this wine do not mix. The sharpness of the wine hit the back of my throat hard. Skittles do not bring out any of the flavors of this wine! I’m sure my buddy Matt over at Wine Enthusiast is laughing at me right now.
Thanks for letting me be a Lab Rat for the first time! I hope I did good (except for the Skittles part…I’m sorry about that).
Second time lab rat, very excited to be picked again. My wife and I opened this last night.
Color: Nice pale provencal style wine
Nose: Melon and citrus
Palate: Grapefruit was the most prominent flavor with a little strawberry as well. It had a pleasant acidity that let it pair well with some fatty burgers and guacamole.
I think this is a great summer sipper with enough going on to stand up to food, it would probably go well with seafood. At under $9/bottle this is great deal, way better than the pinks you’re likely to find at a LWS at that price.
Nathan here, I am the winemaker for Fossil Point Wines. Happy to share one of my favorite everyday bottles - Our Rose is Grenache based, supremely fruity, but dry enough to pair well with a whole range of foods. We press really gently and quickly, to avoid picking up bitterness and color from the skins of the grapes. Fermentation is primarily in temperature-controlled stainless steel tanks, but with some barrel ferments included as well.
Fossil Point is named for a nearby headland over the Pacific Ocean, where all our fog and marine influence come inland. We are committed to sustainable, authentic wines from this coastal region.
@FossilWine
Some tasting notes suggest
How is this holding up, and for how much longer would you think?
@rjquillin 3.24 is a super low pH - which basically sets the clock on how white wines age - so this bottle is drinking very fresh and bright, I am sure this will be enjoyable though into 2020. We were pleased to come across a little extra stash of this wine after we thought it had all sold out, and happy to offer it here, as it was well-received last time around!
@FossilWine
Could you elaborate a bit more on this…?
@FossilWine @rjquillin for sure - pH is active acidity. For one thing, it determines which microbes can live in the wine, and most importantly has a huge effect on the activity of SO2, the major antioxidant in white wine. So lower pH = longer life! This is the reason that german riesling and white burgundy can be so long lived.
How much more are you saving by buying a full case?
(Note: Tax & Shipping not included in savings calculations)
2017 Fossil Point Central Coast Rosé - $16 = 15.09%
Fossil Point Central Coast Rosé
6 bottles for $52.99 $8.83/bottle + $1.33/bottle shipping
Case of 12 for $89.99 $7.50/bottle + $1/bottle shipping
2017 Fossil Point Central Coast Rosé
Hard to pass up a case at $8/bottle w/tax. Willing to share a few with the NE OH crew. Would like to keep 6-8 for wifey and myself.
/giphy problematic-graven-animal
@chipgreen Agreed on the hard to pass up; I’m good for a couple or so.
@pjmartin
Duly noted and there was a whisper for a couple more.
Here is the discussion from the previous offer that @karenhynes mentioned:
https://casemates.com/forum/topics/fossil-point-central-coast-ros
Appreciate the Lab Rat reports, was just telling myself two days ago that I wanted to get some rosè…I guess David was listening!!!
2017 Fossil Point Rosé, Central Coast
Tasting Notes
90 Points, Jeb Dunnuck
“I loved the 2017 Fossil Point Rose, and it has a Provencal slant in its orange rind, citrus, and salty aromas and flavors. Drink this clean, vibrant, impeccably balanced beauty over the coming handful of months.”
Our vines are rooted in cool-climate pockets along California’s Central Coast. Here, cold marine air moderates the daytime temperatures, and fosters perfect conditions for quality wine. For the Fossil Point Rosé, Grenache and Syrah fruit is hand-harvested and made in a ‘Direct-to-Press’ style, maximizing fruit character and smooth palate feel. Fermented both in neutral French oak and in temperature-controlled stainless steel tanks, it is bottled early to be enjoyed in the first year.
Pale pink in color. Expressive aromas of passionfruit and citrus leap from the glass. Classic Provençal flavor profile of strawberry and melon, with a balance of acidity and fruit on the palate. Perfect with summertime meals of garden vegetables, wood-fired pizza, or nearly anything cooked outdoors on the grill.
Vintage and Winemaker Notes
On California’s Central Coast, our vines are never far from the influence of the sea. Sunny afternoons yield daily to brisk marine breezes, and the growing season is directly shaped by the seasonal flow of the currents and surface temperature of the nearby Pacific Ocean. Even our soils of calcareous shale and coarse sand were uplifted from the ancient ocean floor and weathered into place over the millennia.
Fossil Point pays tribute to this bond between sea and vine. Located less than five miles due west of our winery, Fossil Point is a rugged headland with sweeping views of the coastline from Port San Luis to the Guadalupe Dunes. Standing on Fossil Point, you can enjoy the same ocean breezes that are on their way to our vineyards, where they will guide our vines to perfect ripeness.
Specifications
Hand-harvested, Direct to Press
Fermentation in Stainless Steel and neutral French oak barrels
Included in the Box
Case:
6-bottles:
Price Comparison
Not for sale online, $192/case MSRP
About The Winery
Winery: Fossil Point Wines
Location: Central California
Named for the rugged headland with sweeping views of the Central California coastline, Fossil Point pays tribute to the bond between sea and vine. Our vineyard sources are all in close proximity to the cold Pacific Ocean, and are shaped by the seasonal flow of its surface currents, sea breezes and fog. Our soils are composed of coarse sand and calcareous shales uplifted from the ancient seafloor and weathered into place over millenia. We farm with close attention to our delicate coastal environment always aiming for the highest sustainable quality from our land. Our winemaking is hands-on, small scale, and attentive to the individual needs of each lot of grapes.
Fossil Point wines are crafted for high quality, approachability, and affordability for any occasion. Our ethos reflects the natural ease of Central California’s landscape, and the hospitality of our coastal lifestyle.
Available States
AZ, CA, CO, CT, DC, FL, IL, IA, KS, LA, ME, MD, MA, MI, MN, MO, MT, NV, NH, NJ, NY, NC, OH, OR, PA, TX, VA, WA, WV, WY
Estimated Delivery
Monday, Nov 11 - Wednesday, Nov 13
SoCal split of a case?
@CorTot
3 or 4?
@rjquillin we wanted anywhere from 3-6. Making sure other locals get a chance if there’s interest.
@CorTot
eclectic-teeming-smoke
Someone will wake up and want the remainder.