These two Hispanic winemakers joined forces to make sparkling wine rooted in friendship.
By Sedale McCall
Stay up-to-date on the latest trends, and discovering new and exciting blends is essential along your wine journey. That’s where Uncorked Wine Reviews comes in – we provide you with our top 5 fundamental approaches to making informed decisions about your next bottle to uncork. We will not only celebrate and promote women and minority winemakers but also dive into the wines themselves. Each wine review will highlight a different winemaker, then rate a specific wine from their portfolio. The ratings are based on the following criteria:
5 Ways to Wine Rating Criteria
- Appearance: How does it take shape and color in the glass? Does it invite you in? Does the color make you want to drink it?
- Balance: Is anything out of place? Balance ratings focus on the wine’s structure, including acid, alcohol, sweetness, body, and tannins (for red wines).
- Food Friendliness: Does this pair well with a lot of different foods?
- Typicity: Does it match what you expect from that grape in that region?
- Overall Enjoyment: Overall, is it an enjoyable glass? This is emphasized over the other criteria!
This review looks at Las Del Vino, owned and operated by two Hispanic winemakers, Miriam Puentes, and Lola Llamas.
Las Del Vino Las Amigas Rose: Miriam and Lola
Las Del Vino is a collaboration of two successful Hispanic winemakers in their own right. Lola Llamas, a Napa native, owns Llamas Family Wines. Miriam Puentes immigrated from Mexico City and ran Honrama Cellars. The two had several conversations, likely over wine, and decided to join forces and launch Las Del Vino. Originally, the page was meant to market and promote each other’s wine.
But after a while, they launched a label and made their wine under the brand. They began with Las Amigas Cuveé, a Napa Valley sparkling wine. Their sparkling rosé is the second wine from Las del Vino (a joint venture between Lola and Miriam. One hundred thirty cases have been produced. It’s a rose of Zinfandel from Sonoma’s Dry Creek Valley.
Appearance: It’s a very pretty pale pink, clear, and youthful. The Bubbles are tiny and refined. It’s a little paler than I was expecting, but on a summer day on the beach, it looks like the right thing to pull!
Balance: The wine is dry but fruit-forward, with a fine mousse, medium acid, and lighter alcohol. All perfectly balanced. The lighter color keeps in line with the lighter alcohol and overall intensity. It still feels like summer.
Food Friendliness: Like most bubbles, this is incredibly versatile. It goes with meats, cheeses, a fresh salad, chicken, and fish tacos. The list goes on. But, honestly, it’s a perfect pairing for a pool day or a cookout with the family.
Typicity: For the grapes themselves it’s a bit light, given a rose of Zinfandel. But as a wine style, it’s fresh red fruit, fine bubbles, light and refreshing. Exactly what you want in CA rose bubbles.
Overall Enjoyment: It’s a great summer wine. If you’re in California or Florida or you wish you were, this is an excellent wine for you.
Score: 9/10
This is a great way to kick off the warm weather, and I hope you reach out to these Hispanic winemakers and support their amazing business. Stay tuned for the following review, examining an Albariño from The Pour Up Wine.
Do you have a wine you’d like us to review and write about? Let us know via social media (@Uncorkedandcultured on Instagram). And why stop at just reading our reviews? By subscribing to our newsletter, you’ll gain exclusive access to our community-driven opinions, behind-the-scenes wine content, and access to special events. Plus, you’ll support a community of wine enthusiasts who share your passion for culture and travel.
Join us on our journey to uncork the world of wine and explore the diversity that it has to offer. Don’t miss out on the fun – subscribe to the Uncorked Wine Review today!