OJAI VINEYARD Rosé Santa Barbara '25

OJAI VINEYARD Rosé Santa Barbara '25 is a crisp, elegant, and supremely refreshing Provençal-style rosé from Adam Tolmach at The Ojai Vineyard in California’s Ojai Valley.

Adam has been quietly making some of Santa Barbara’s most classically inspired wines since founding the estate in 1983, with a focus on balance, finesse, and European restraint rather than power. For this annual rosé he sources an ever-evolving field-blend from carefully chosen vineyards across Santa Barbara County (Santa Ynez Valley, Los Olivos District, Sta. Rita Hills, and sometimes estate fruit near Ojai). The mix is typically Grenache-dominant with Carignane, estate-grown Paseante Noir (a zesty, Zinfandel-like Pierce’s-disease-resistant variety), Mencía, Teroldego, and a splash of white grapes for lift and complexity. Cool nights and maritime influence keep the fruit bright and the acidity electric.

The grapes are whole-cluster pressed like a white wine, fermented with native yeasts, and aged briefly in neutral French oak for subtle texture without masking freshness. No heavy extraction, just pure, delicate color and vibrant energy.

The 2025 pours a beautiful pale salmon-pink with brilliant clarity. The nose is fragrant and inviting: wild strawberry, watermelon rind, white peach, citrus blossom, dried Provençal herbs, and a whisper of salinity. On the palate it’s dry, lively, and medium-bodied, with mouthwatering acidity, silky texture, savory red-fruit character, a touch of mineral grip, and a clean, mouth-filling finish that begs for another sip.