Wine of the week: Morét-Brealynn, 2021 California Rosé of Pinot Noir

Morét Brealynn Chavez isn’t discouraged by glass ceilings in the wine industry.

“Quite honestly, I don’t know if being Mexican, a woman or a millennial is what makes it more unique for me,” Chavez said. “I’m aware there are barriers, but I’m not going anywhere and I’m inspired to use my voice.”

With her namesake brand, the vintner/winemaker is behind our wine of the week winner — the Morét-Brealynn, 2021 California Rosé of Pinot Noir at $27. This is a rosé with tangy fruit of watermelon and pomegranate, with notes of mineral and honeysuckle in the mix. Riding on bright acidity, it finishes crisp. It’s well-crafted and refreshing from start to finish.

Bringing this rosé to market was a bit of a challenge, Chavez said, because of pandemic-induced supply chain issues.

“The screw cap on my rosé is a good example,” she said. “I originally liked white, but that color wasn’t available for stock and lead time. So I chose green because it’s the complementary color to pink on the color wheel and, more importantly, it was in stock.”

Supply chain complications, Chavez said, have been pervasive, testing her mettle.

“I can’t think of a single winemaking product that hasn’t gone up in price and or scarcity,” she said. “Bottles, labels, facility fees, grapes, trucking for grapes — all have had price increases, longer lead times or other issues from the pandemic.”

One silver lining of the pandemic is the indomitable resourcefulness of the wine industry, she said.

“Wineries found opportunities to still connect with club members or wine enthusiasts, whether that was through virtual tastings, embracing digital and e-commerce channels or social media outreach and interviews,” she said. “I hope wineries continue to utilize those options as tourism returns to its full glory.”

The pandemic aside, making a rosé requires an invincible spirit, Chavez said.

“Rosé, like most white wines, aren’t good at hiding their flaws,” she said. “Red wine can hide some flaws through oak influences, big tannins or higher alcohol. With rosé, the only help is sweetness. But my rosé is bone-dry, so it’s absolutely crucial to make a rosé in a facility with high standards of sanitizing and cleanliness.”

Chavez said the style she and her winemaking consultant Adam Lee are shooting for with her rosé is dry with a round mouthfeel and delicious flavors.

“When my friend Kristi tried it, she said, ‘It tastes like spring,’ and I think that sounds like a rosé I’d like to try,” Chavez joked.

Now 35, Chavez remembers the first time she tasted rose petals and strawberries in wine. Born and raised in California, she had worked for the city of Davis as director of the teen center. She moved to Sonoma County in 2011 to pursue that career path.

“I quickly became a tourist in my own town, going wine tasting, learning how to swirl and learning the lingo,” she said. “It didn’t take long to change industries, and I’ve been drinking the juice ever since.”

Chavez makes her wine at the Grand Cru Custom Crush facility in Windsor.

Rosé isn’t just for summer, Chavez said.

“I love rosé throughout the entire year, and it has so many wonderful qualities beyond pairing with a temperature above 80 degrees,” she said. “As for my rosé in particular, people should order it now before I drink it all myself.”

Wine writer Peg Melnik can be reached at peg.melnik@pressdemocrat.com or 707-521-5310.