NV Locations F6 Rose 750 ml

Phinney’s Locations Goes Pink

Let it be known. Dave Phinney is at it again, and we’re not going to stop him. The guy Robert Parker called “one of the more creative minds in all of the world’s winedom,” who is “doing things far beyond his modest age and deserves to be commended for the brilliant individuality/singularity of all his efforts,” just turned out a freakishly good Rosé for $16. Pardon the uncommon adjective, but it appears to be the only choice in this case. From the auteur who gave us "The Prisoner," this Locations F6 Rosé from France marries delicacy and vibrancy amidst honeysuckle mousse, fresh raspberries and strawberries, peaches, and flinty minerality.

If you’re wondering how Phinney—the original creator of “The Prisoner”—does it, there’s really no secret. His novel approach, which often eschews vineyard and vintage, still has quality at its root. It’s what has landed him on Wine Spectator’s Top 100 at least seven times in 11 years. Phinney’s F6 Rosé was sourced entirely from 50-year old Grenache, planted on steep granite and schist slopes in southern France, close to the Mediterranean. In the cellar, Phinney fermented his grapes at very cool temperatures using stainless steel tanks, preserving freshness and fruit purity, and allowing a hint of Mediterranean salinity to shine through.

If you’ve been a Wine Access client for any amount of time, by now you know the score when it comes to David Phinney and his Locations wines. Seven times in the last 11 years, Phinney authored wines that ranked in the Wine Spectator Top 100.

In the midst of naming Phinney his candidate for “value winemaker of the year,” Robert Parker requested, “If there are better wines for under $20 a bottle in the world today please share that information with the Wine Advocate.” We would add that Phinney’s F6 Rosé is now an early candidate for Wine Access Value Wine of the Summer. Simply put, $16 bottles that deliver this much pleasure are few and far between. Recommended by the case.

Jonathan Cristaldi

Editor-in-Chief, Wine Access

Contributing Writer, Food & Wine