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Forbes
06-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Forbes
Mother's Day Gift Guide 2025: Top Luxury Rosés To Sip And Savor
While I believe that every season is rosé season, there is no denying that blush wines are top of mind when the daffodils start blooming, and demand peaks when local tomatoes and corn are bountiful at the farmer's market. To celebrate that rosé time of year, here's a list of giftable wines for mom to savor on Mother's Day and right through the summer. A picnic with a beautiful rosé, like this Donnafugata Dolce collab, is the perfect Mother's Day gift. Donnafugata Donnafugata Rosa Dolce & Gabbana e Donnafugata - Sicilia Doc Rosato 2023: Fashion-forward moms (and everyone else) will love this summery and plush wine, with a nose that is a meditation of exuberant flowers. Made from an original blend of two indigenous grape varieties—Nerello Mascalese from the slopes of Etna, where the volcanic nature of the land and the microclimate add notes of minerality and floral delicacy, balanced by a fruity component from Nocera grapes. Oh, and the packaging, designed by the storied fashion house, is gorgeous. (SRP: $58, 12.73% ABV) Tell your mom she is a star with this gorgeous bottle. Domaine Ott 2023 Domaine Ott Etoile: This luscious, serious wine is built for aging – and drinking right now. Either way, it deserves contemplation, with a nose that brings to life a Provencal orchard full of wild herbs and citrus flowers. Using a blend of 85 percent Grenache and 15 percent Mourvèdre that is partially aged in ceramic vats, Étoile combines fruit from all three Domaines Ott estates, highlighting the salinity of Clos Mireille, the finesse of Château de Selle, and the structure of Château Romassan. (SRP $175, ABV 14%) Centuries of experience have been poured into this wine. Roseblood Roseblood d'Estoublon 1489 Roseblood Rose 2023: This classic Provencal rosé will impress the mom who treasures tradition (it's actually named for the year Château d'Estoublon was founded) and very ripe fruit. At 14 percent alcohol, it is as bold as a Provencal rose gets, a little bit peachy and a little bit toasty, thanks to a judicious use of oak. A hand-harvested blend of 80 percent old-vine Grenache and 20 percent Syrah grown atop Provence's only volcanic crater adds minerality shaped by the region's unique clay-limestone soils and cooling Mistral winds. (SRP $95, 14% ABV) Château d'Esclans Les Clans 2022: Aged in large barrels –a combination of new oak and second-year – this rosé has a luscious weighty mouthfeel that stands out in the field of pink wines. Which is no surprise, since owner/winemaker Sacha Lichine has dedicated himself to putting Provencal rosé on the same stage as other storied French wines. Blending bright raspberries with tropical fruit and notes of vanilla, Les Clans is bold and fun in the best possible way. (SRP $108, 14% ABV) This chateau offers a pretty rosé at every price point. Chateau d'Esclans Clarendelle Bordeaux Rose: This pink drink is crafted from a traditional red Bordeaux blend, combining a short maceration of Merlot and Cabernet Sauvignon with a touch of Cabernet Franc. Redolent of roses, with hints of raspberry and grapefruit, it has the fruity intensity to stand on its own, but also plays well with grilled meat and fish. It also happens to be the preferred chateau of the Academy Awards celebration, so if you want to drink like the stars, but on a budget, this is a great choice. (SRP $20, 12.5% ABV) Cook up an elegant meal to serve with this vivacious sparkler. Bollinger Champagne Bollinger Rosé NV: Made predominantly from Pinot Noir sourced from Grand and Premier Cru villages combined with a touch of Bollinger's still red wine— 5 or 6 percent— this sparkler is vivid with bright strawberries and cherries, balanced with brioche and a velvety texture thanks to extensive aging on the lees. Give Mom a special treat and cook up one of the recipes developed by French chef Amandine Chaignot specially to pair with this charmer. (SRP $115, 12% ABV) Champagne Telmont Réserve Rosé: The perfect indulgence for a mom who treasures the environment, this century-old Champagne house, based in Damery, is converting all of its vineyards to organic agriculture. But that's not all — they no longer ship via air freight and have invested heavily in creating a lighter bottle they hope will become an industry standard. Not only that, but this is the official Champagne of the Cannes Film Festival – and it's delicious too. Elegant and creamy with bright notes of blood orange and raspberry. (SRP $94.50, 12% ABV) French Bloom Le Rosé 0.0% Organic French Bubbly: For anyone skipping the booze, this winner of the 2023 World Sparkling Awards World's Best AF Sparkling is the ideal gift. Developed by Maggie Frerejean-Taittinger, director of the Michelin Guide, and model Constance Jablonski, this rosé is bone-dry with a well-balanced complexity blending minerality and freshness with rose petals, red fruit, and notes of dry white peach. (SRP $44, 0% ABV)
Forbes
06-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Forbes
Mother's Day Gift Guide: Women-Made Wines
This fragrant red wine hails from Sicily. Donnafugata Most of my mom friends appreciate a gift of wine, and many of them also like to support other women. Here's a roundup of some great, women-made wines in various price ranges to give your mom for Mother's Day. Donnafugata 2022 Bell-Assai - Vittoria DOC Frappato Sicilia, $32 This family winery was founded by Gabriella and Giacomo Rallo in 1983 and leads the way in sustainable winemaking in Sicily. Today, the winery is run by José Rallo, who loves to pair each of her wines with music, and the entire Donnafugata Music & Wine repertoire is available on Spotify. Her entire Made with Frappato grapes, Bell'Assai is ruby red in color with violet reflections, radiating intense floral notes of freesia and lavender followed by fruity aromas of strawberry and cherry. Its soft tannins and fruity notes lend itself to pairing with grilled vegetables, charcuterie and fish soups. Avaline White White, $24 Cameron Diaz and Katherine Power created the Avaline line of wines, and it's headed by CEO Jennifer Purcell and guided by the expertise of winemaker Ashley Herzberg. Avaline White is a dry, vegan-friendly, Spanish wine made with organic grapes. It offers a crisp flavor with a fresh finish that's free of any . undisclosed extras like sugars, colors, and concentrates. Charles Heidsieck Rosé Reserve, $100 Chef de Cave Elise Losfelt is at the helm of winemaking at Charles Heidsieck. The Rosé Réserve takes its inspiration from the Brut Réserve blend, enhanced with great red Champagne wines that strengthen its generous, sharp identity and its delicately fruity mouthfeel. To achieve this ideal balance between freshness and structure, Losfelt selects reserve wines that are intentionally less aged than those used for the Brut Réserve. Sonoma-Cutrer Les Pierres Chardonnay 2022 , Les Pierres Chardonnay $46 Cara Morrison is the first director of winemaking for this storied Sonoma wine brand in 40 years. This Chardonnay offers aromas of lemon zest, wet stone and key lime pie, mingled with citrus blossom and bright lemon curd. It's perfect to pair with prawns, salmon and other seafood. Atticus Wine Pinot Noir Rosé, $34 This boutique estate Pinot Noir project in the Yamhill-Carlton AVA was founded in 2005 by Ximena Orrego and her husband, Guy Insley. Originally from Peru, Ximena brings global influences to her craft, drawing on her experiences living in Panama, Venezuela, Canada, and the U.S. to create expressive Pinot Noirs. Crisp and bright, this Pinot Noir Rosé is full of tropical fruit and white peach aromas with a beautiful minerality. Castello Banfi Brunello di Montalcino DOCG, $74.99 Banfi, producer and importer of fine wines, was founded in 1919 and is today woman-owned and operated by third generation family proprietor Cristina Mariani-May. This Brunello is a culmination of over three decades of the winemaker's pioneering research on the clones of Sangiovese, with the goal of producing a more outstanding quality Brunello. Released in the fifth year after harvest, the wine is aged for a minimum of four years, including 2 years in oak barrels. The result offers notes of violet, vanilla and licorice on the nose, with a soft and velvety palate with warm spice notes, making it a match for red meat, game and aged cheeses. Remy Wines Three Wives 2023 Chardonnay, $30 When Remy Drabkin's mom Joan and her two friends were traveling in Alaska with Drabkin's dad Juels, a fisherman there mistook the three of them for all being his wives. That became a hilarious family story, which Drabkin took as the name for her most experimental line of wines. With lemon and citrus aromas, there are only 100 cases of this wine produced annually. Bryn Mawr Vineyards NV Brut Rosé,$35 With a background in molecular biology, Rachel Rose uses a scientific approach to managing the vineyard and the cellar at Bryn Mawr Vineyards. Her sustainable approach to farming includes sheep grazing, organic compost, and pollinator-friendly cover crops. Rose, who is a mother of two herself, crafted this blend of Pinot Noir, Pinot Gris, Chardonnay, and Pinot Meunier to create a delightful sparkling wine. It has a dry and balanced palate with cranberry, raspberry, and limestone notes, with a touch of rosebud aromas, making it perfect for spring. Bouchaine Vineyards 2022 Pommard Clone Estate Pinot Noir, $70 President and Winemaker, Chris Kajani is a nerd when it comes to Pinot Noir clones. Each harvest, she and her team cultivate a dozen different clones of Pinot Noir, before carefully selecting a few for single-clone bottlings, including the standout Pommard clone. This bottling is juicy, lush and just so robust, it could rival some California Cabernet Sauvignons with its presence and power. This is a lively white blend. Inman Family Wines Inman Family Wines 2024 Whole Buncha Love White Blend $43 Owner, winemaker and one-woman show Kathleen Inman debuts a new addition to her Whole Buncha Love lineup: a white blend with a vibrant new label and a unique composition of varieties. Crafted from 80% Pinot Noir and 20% Pinot Gris, this lively blend is sourced from sustainably farmed estate fruit, harvested at night and whole cluster pressed to preserve its fresh and bright character. The result is a wine that bursts with juicy fruit flavors, balanced by natural, tongue-tingling acidity and a crisp, refreshing finish. Imagery Estate Winery Blanc de Blancs, $63 With a label adorned with a custom piece of artwork by California-based printmaker and illustrator Lili Arnold, this bottle makes a stunning gift. Winemaker Jamie Benziger crafts this wine in the classic méthode champenoise style. This wine has bright fruit notes and lively acidity leading to a lingering creamy texture. Trivento Golden Reserve 2022 Malbec, $19.99 Crafted by winemaker Magdalena Viani, this reserve Malbec is perfect for Mother's Day. Vivid red with violet tones, this Malbec offers clear expressions of red fruit, especially raspberries and strawberries. This complex wine has vibrant tannins and a long finish. Drop of Sunshine Sparkling Rosé $25 Led by Sarah Bakx, Drop of Sunshine is a beautiful and balanced sparkling rosé. This bubbly features a blend of French Colombard, Syrah, Riesling, Barbera, and Zinfandel grapes. With notes of crisp red fruit, dominated by cherry, strawberry and raspberry, this pour can be paired with light dishes such as chicken, fish, or even a salad, making it perfect to enjoy over Mother's Day lunch. Garden Creek makes some lovely Chardonnay wines. Garden Creek Ranch Vineyards Garden Creek Ranch Vineyards 2021 Chardonnay, Estate Clonal Selection $80 Crafted by owner, grape grower and winemaker Karin Warnelius-Miller in partnership with her husband, Justin, this wine is thoughtfully composed of five different Chardonnay clones (Hudson, Hyde, 95, 809 and Old Wente) to capture the unique terroir of their Sonoma estate. Garden Creek ages the wine for three years in bottle before release to achieve seamless integration and remarkable elegance. Benziger Family Winery 2022 West Rose Chardonnay, Los Carneros, $48 Benziger Family Wines was the first winery in Sonoma to become biodynamic certified. Winemaker Lisa Amaroli crafted this sustainable and organic wine from Chardonnay grapes grown in the 'sweet spot' of Los Carneros, away from the harsh Pacific wines. It offers a creamy texture and silky roundness, with orchard-fresh aromas of apple, along with citrus and Bavarian cream. Giovese Family Wines Rosie Giovese Vino Rosato, $34.99/3 liter box Founder Amy Ezrin crafts this rosé with chemical-free, organically farmed Italian grapes, including Sangiovesse, Merlot and Lacrima, that are harvested from a sustainably farmed vineyard. 'Rosie is the perfect companion for the eat, on boats, at pools and picnics and getting together with friends and family,' Ezrin says. It's also great for sharing at a big Mother's Day gathering. Mumm Napa Brut Rosé $36 Head winemaker Tami Lotz crafts this sparkling wine with mostly Pinot Noir grapes (76 percent), followed by Chardonnay (22 percent), and Pinot Meunier (2 percent). With notes of strawberry, orange and raspberry, this wine has a pale salmon color and a toasty, biscuity finish.
