It’s hot out there, perfect weather for rosé refreshment! But rosé is a surprisingly diverse and versatile category of wine that has many worthy applications besides summertime sipping. This class skips over the pink tsunami of industrial plonk that washes in every spring in favor of the bold, unexpected, and under-the-radar gems of the genre. We’ll taste a handful of small-production, naturally-made wines that showcase what rosé can offer in the hands of artisan winemakers. We’ll offer ideas for interesting food pairings and bust some malignant myths that have pigeonholed rosé in the eyes of consumers. The goal is to enjoy some delicious wines perfect for the season but also inspire you to think pink all year-round.
A native New Yorker, Oliver Longwell caught the wine bug in 2012 after a number of years working in government and politics. He has worked for leading wine retailers in New York and Los Angeles, with a particular focus on organically-farmed and natural wines. Oliver is a Certified Sommelier by the Court of Master Sommeliers and works as a freelance wine consultant. He enjoys experimenting with fermentations, especially ciders. He and his wife moved to Northeast Portland in 2021 and welcomed their first daughter in 2022 and second daughter in 2024.