Most visitors to Virginia wineries welcome learning more about wine than they knew before, and if done right, wine education as a scheduled event at a winery can be fun, educational and open new perspectives for winery customers. It can also increase customer loyalty and offer a new revenue stream, if done correctly.
This was my experience attending DuCard Vineyards’ “Armchair Expedition” class on rosé wines at the winery near scenic Rt. 231 in Madison County on Sunday, August 3rd. This theme brought out an unexpectedly large crowd of 60 attendees (mostly DuCard wine club members) The tasting featured five rosés from around the world, from DuCard itself to New Zealand, Sicily and Provence. The tasting was curated by Ann Czaja, a chocolatier with a WSET Diploma, who guided guests while showing PowerPoint slides of the wine names, highlights, and maps of their regions.
’ve seldom learned so much about a major category of wine that I didn’t already know, while tasting new styles (and obscure grape varieties). Interestingly, all wines were blends and not monovarietals, and the only rosé from Provence was not the thin, tight, pale kind we see everywhere now, but aged in (neutral) oak, with depth and texture.
Proprietor Scott Eliff introduced the first and last rosés, both DuCard wines. The first was the debut tasting of “Dorothy’s Slippers”, a very original sparkling wine mostly of Norton, but also with some Viognier blended in. From the 2020 vintage, it was two and a half years on the lees before being disgorged and bottled. The nose was complex, with pink apple, strawberry, cranberry and a hint of sage. On the palate, the acidity was brisk, but then smooth and round from the lees aging. Fun and full of character, it will improve with age and is a good food wine. The second wine was “The Ned” 2024 rosé blend from the Marisco Vineyard in Marlborough, NZ. This was a blend of Pinot Noir and Pinot Gris from only the free-run juice, a brilliant idea and brought the best of both varieties to a “pink party” with pink grapefruit, fresh strawberries and vibrant acidity, along with the rich texture you expect in Pinot Gris. Gluggable in the best way.
Third was a saignee method (bleed) from Sicily, an Etna Rosato from the local Nerello Mascalese grape. A dark orange/light red color, the nose was faint with mineral and dried red fruits, chamomile, and a hint of herb. On the palate, it was boldly dry and vibrant with a hint of blood orange.
Next, we went to Provence, but not in the usual way. Far from the ocean of thin, pale and tight rosés from this region now on the market, this was a Clos Cibonne from the obscure Tibouren grape, allegedly imported from Mesopotamia (!) Blended with 10% Grenache, it was aged for 12 months in large neutral oak, and had a salmon tint. Nose: not fruity, with hints of dried cherry. Palate: round, rich texture, though not much flavor. Dried herbs and dried red fruits emerged with time. A rare rosé that needs careful matching with Mediterranean cuisine.
We finished, as we had started, with a DuCard Rosé, their just-released 2024 vintage, a blend of saignee and direct press wine from Cabernet Franc, Petit Verdot and Merlot grapes, aged on the lees for 4 months.
This wine is Old World style, with a hint of orange (from time in neutral oak) and not fruity on the nose. On the palate, a broad texture, mellowed by lees contact, with notes of herbs and dried red fruits, and firm acidity.
Although tight to begin with, this wine opened up slowly, and at this point is mostly impressive on the texture; complex and long, and needs more time in the bottle.
Scott Eliff told us that they had sent this rosé to VinePair in New York to taste with some 600 other rosés from around the world, and were pleasantly surprised to learn that it placed in the top 30 wines in that tasting! VinePair also put out a list of “Best American Wines for July Fourth” celebrations, and the DuCard 2024 Rosé along with the Linden Hardscrabble estate blend were the only Virginia wines on the list.
Thanks to Scott and Beth Eliff, the hosts of the tasting, and to Ann Czaja for curating such an interesting, diverse group of blended and fine rosés!
This post originally published by Richard Leahy at https://www.richardleahy.com/2025/08/12/ducard-winery-holds-a-rose-class-that-really-had-class/