In recent years, the world of Rosé wine seems to have gone straight from sweet white Zinfandels to the palest, lightest pink wines imaginable, usually from Provence, but increasingly from every other corner of the wine world as well.

All of this, of course, misses a very important wine category, that we’ll just call “Serious Rosé”. Serious Rosé is neither sweet nor pale pink. It does not need to be consumed at the coldest temperatures possible (with ice cubes optional). It is not a wine to serve at the beach or just to down for refreshment after getting home from work on a hot day.

No, Serious Rosé is, really, an actual wine, and one that should be treated as one. It is typically a little darker. It is light, sure, but not so light that the addition of an ice cube wouldn’t really change the flavor profile. It has complexity. Beyond mere refreshment, it is interesting to drink. And it is good with food!

This all assumes, of course, that it’s a good example of Serious Rosé. For that, we turn to one of the few experts in California who know how to produce one: Enfield.

We have written about John Lockwood’s Enfield many times in the past, most recently about their Chenin Blanc. But for the first time we want to focus on what they call their “Foot Tread Rosé”. It is, as you can tell, a Rosé made with actual treading of feet on grapes, as well as other natural and traditional wine-making methods. The source of the grapes, as well as the grape varieties themselves, change each vintage. In 2022, it’s a 50/50 split of Mourvédre and Cinsault.

And it is a gorgeous Serious Rosé. Not pale pink, but more like a neon pink, with an appealing strawberry fruitiness. There is also – and this is what’s missing in so many pale Rosés – a real mineral character to it. That’s what keeps a wine interesting, and what keeps us going back for another sip.

No, don’t take it to the beach, but do drink this all summer long alongside whatever you’re having for dinner, whether it’s a chicken salad or chickpea curry. 

Enfield Wine Co. Rose Foot Tread 2022 - $29.99