Christy Canterbury MW

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Casa Paladin: Delightful Rosés!

Casa Paladin makes truly striking rosé - both still and bubbly. The Pinot Grigio rosé is particularly fun for its play on Pinot Grigio's natural pink and gray clusters, meriting a favorite notation "*". The packaging of all these wines is striking, too, especially the Prosecco bottles.

These wines are part of the almost sixty-year-old Paladin family commitment to producing wines. Valentino Paladin started with this Casa Paladin estate in the Veneto, and the family has expanded to include four more wineries. (See my write up on Fattoria Castelvecchi here.)

Sparkling
90
Casa Paladin 2019 Prosecco Rosé Brut 11.5% $18
Tantalizingly aromatic with aromas of perfectly ripe nectarine and rose buds, this is immediately attractive. Though only 11.5%, there is a solid medium body accompanied by robust flavor. Pleasant vinosity accompanies a juicy core of ripe fruit with well-placed acidity. The bubbles are moderate in texture and feel well-integrated. This is very classy Prosecco and very well-made rosé sparkling wine.
Drink: 2021-23 

87
Casa Paladin 2019 Prosecco Extra-Dry 11% $18
At the drier cusp of extra-dry, this elegant, bright yellow Prosecco works better at the table than alone. Moderate in body with slightly prickly and acerbic acidity on the finish, there is slightly jarring edge that seems to try to over-compensate for the residual sugar. However, the filigree texture of the fine bubbles is noteworthy. The green pear, tree bloom and light spice on the nose provide excellent intrigue. It all finishes on a solid, lightly minerally tone.
Drink: 2021-22 

Rosé
88*
Casa Paladin 2019 Pinot Grigio Rosé 13% $16
An alluring, ballet slipper pink, this wine has a delicate, mineral nose with light peach nuances. The dry but succulent attack caresses the palate with a light coating of glycerol and flavors of nectarine and watermelon. While it's fairly straightforward, it is certainly delicious with very good refreshment and no evident tannin. This bottle lasted very nicely over three days, but it's not easy to exercise such restraint when faced with such a tasty, well-balanced wine! The moderate finish is clean and minerally.
Drink: 2021-22