Charles Bieler of Three Thieves / Rebel Wine Co. and BIELER Père et Fils and Charles Smith of K Vintners, Magnificent Wine Co. and Charles Smith Wines have teamed up on a delicious rose offering. Their collaborationaptly named Charles and Charleshas yielded a single vineyard dry rosé from the Wahluke Slope of Washington State.

Bieler has been making rosé in Provence, France with his family since 1992 and was one of the early champions of the category in the US. In the late 90s it was only top tier shops that would carry any rosé at all, says Bieler, and it took serious explanation to convince people that in fact not all pink wine was sweet. Now, every good restaurant and retailer loads up on at least a few for the warmer months. Weve come a long way, baby.

With the long growing season and more moderate climate of the Wahluke Slope in the Columbia Valley, Charles & Charles has blended fruit for the same bright, fresh profile that has made European rosés popular for generations.

Smith made this 2008 rosé of syrah from the Talcott Vineyard from the Wahluke Slope (AVA) in the traditional Provencal way. He harvested the grapes at the early edge of ripeness, sent straight to the press without any extended cold soak, and fermented and aged in stainless steel tanks at cooler temperatures. New World fruit, Old World methods!

"I didn’t expect C & C Rose to be this good. Very crisp and refreshing and driven by an under-ripe but rich strawberry type of fruit profile. I’d be curious to taste a full on Syrah from the Talcott Vineyard judging by the quality of the rose. Distinctive, delicious and dry American rose for your 4th of July BBQs." - George Feaver - Suburban's Washington Wine Director