We Tried Meghan Markle’s As Ever Rosé
While many of the products by As Ever — the Meghan Markle-founded purveyor of Californian culinary staples, including the raspberry jam spread we taste-tested in April and the apricot spread we ordered and never got — remain perpetually sold out, we did manage to get our hands on its first-ever wine. We ordered three bottles of the 2023 debut vintage because it was the minimum purchase required. Like the 2024 Napa Valley Rosé now available on the As Ever site, the 2023 offering is described as having “notes of stone fruit, a gentle minerality, and a lasting finish.” We’ll see about that!
Some important context for our very professional wine tasting: The rosé was chilled for two days in the office refrigerator and mostly drunk out of paper cups in a conference room with a side of microwave popcorn. We also invited some nearby friends of the Cut to join us. It was a polarizing beverage, but one thing we all agreed on: We can’t wait for season two of With Love, Meghan.
“Smells great. I really wish she’d just capitalize that E.” —Amy Rose Spiegel, senior editor, the Cut
“It’s … pretty good? Tastes better than the label. Would drink again.” —Reeves Wiedeman, features writer, New York
“I’d drink this while watching Suits.” —Manny Getachew, VP and general manager, New York
“It tastes like rosé is supposed to taste! I have a delightful little headache now.” —Jen Ortiz, deputy editor, the Cut
“I would drink it if it was out, but I don’t think I’d order it. Out of all the rosés I’ve had in my life, it was one of the better ones, but I do not love a pink wine.” —Brooke LaMantia, editorial assistant, the Cut
“Honestly, it goes down smooth — if it’s ice cold. It’s not too sweet. I could drink it on a breezy day in the park or at a work function.” —Brooke Marine, deputy culture editor, the Cut
“I thought it would be sweeter. It tastes not sweet in a way that’s good, but the back is hot. I think the label makes it look much cheaper than it tastes.” —Marisa Carroll, executive editor, the Cut
“I don’t want to shortchange Meghan, so I got a glass [Ed note: Most of us drank it out of paper coffee cups. Sorry, Meghan!]. It tastes heavy on the mouth in an unpleasant way. It has almost an aluminum taste to it. I would drink it if there was an open bar.” —anonymous print editor
“The first sip was crisp and I enjoyed it. It did also catapult my brain back to drinking Franzia White Zinfandel during summers of yore, for some reason. It tastes like it’s at a wedding or work event.” —Catherine Thompson, features editor, the Cut
“It’s not bad, I gotta say. It has a little bit of depth of something that’s somewhat savory. I kind of think, as long as it’s not too sweet, that’s all you have to do.” —Jordan Larson, features editor, the Cut
“I like that it wasn’t too sweet and was more on the drier side — light, fruity, very drinkable — but I wouldn’t pay more than 20 bucks for it.” —Dominique Pariso, writer, Strategist
“It has a weird aftertaste.” —Hanna Flanagan, shopping editor, the Cut
“I would drink it while watching How to Lose a Guy in 10 Days. It tastes like a house rosé.” —Britina Cheng, editorial producer, Cinematrix
“Ew. You can get a nice, natural wine for $30 and it wouldn’t taste like this. It tastes like Hampton Water or Wölffer Estate. It’s just not what rosé’s supposed to be.” —Isabela Quintero, senior photo editor, New York
“I don’t think I want to finish this. It’s always concerning when, right off the bat, it smells like alcohol. I’ve purchased a $14 bottle of wine better than this.” —Julie Kosin, senior TV editor, Vulture
“It tastes like college pregame. She only makes rosé? That’s such a funny thing to do. ” —Jason P. Frank, news writer, Vulture
“Upon my first sip, immediately, my body relaxed. But it is too sweet.” —Zoe Papelis, network development, New York
“At first, I found the rosé refreshing and highly gulpable — and importantly, not too sweet. But when I poured myself a little more about 40 minutes later, after the wine was no longer as cold as it had been when we first opened it, I noticed a really unpleasant, acidic aftertaste, and the flavor was a lot less crisp and pleasant overall. I did feel slightly tipsy after about one glass’s worth, though, so I guess it serves its ultimate purpose. I am not a big wine drinker generally, but I do think a truly good wine should still taste okay even after it’s been sitting out for an hour or two. Still, that first sip really was so refreshing. —Katja Vujić, writer, the Cut
Related