Ahhhh, There's Nothing Like Rosé on a Summer's Day

Ahhhh, There’s Nothing like Rosé on a Summer’s Day

We had just returned from a month in the arid Southwest when our turn to host Rude Tasters came up.   While in Tucson, we had plenty of occasion to enjoy fresh light reds and rosés.  Some twenty years ago when I was the buyer for D&W, good rosé from Provence was quite expensive.   In fact, it cost more than the top cru (Tavel) of the Rhone.   Today’s enlargement of Provence Rosé to Cotes de Provence Rosé and Coteaux D’Aix-En-Provence Rosé has made this delicious pink wine more abundant and less expensive with, as far as I can tell, no loss in quality.    As I said, we enjoyed several very inexpensive rose’s from various parts of southern France while in Tucson and decided to put together a tasting for our Rude Tasters group upon return.

My design was to start with a couple of odd rosés for warm ups then progress into a flight of American rosés starting with the most generic to the most specific and repeating the tasting with wines from southern France from non AOC table wine to a Rhone Cru at the top of the heap.   Interestingly enough, the prices of the American wines seemed to have little to do with the prestige of the appellation or specificity of it.   For example, the most generic of the US wine, the Decoy, a generic California rosé was the most expensive.   On the other hand, the French wines were priced in direct order of their official status.   We thought it would be quite telling to see if price, prestige, or other factors would determine which wines the group would enjoy most.   As you know, I normally like the wines in inverse order of price, while most of the tasters like the most expensive wines the best.   I was the only one who knew what we were tasting.  Unfortunately, there was no way to disguise from me the order because I chose them for a specific reason to be in a specific order.   Just a side note; although there is an abundance of rosé in the market from all over the world, none of the big box stores in West Michigan offer a Spanish, a French Cru or an Oregon rosé.    Fortunately, GB Russo had all three.    Oddly enough, all were available at the Costco in Tucson.    So, I ended up buying all of the wines at either Meijer (best price) or Russo’s (best selection).  Prices indicate six pack discount at Meijer. Also, missing from our local Costco, Sam’s Club, Meijer and Aldi are top quality soft ripened French cheese. You can sometimes get these at D&W if you’re willing to pay the price, but I haven’t seen anything of any quality at Costco or Sam’s in over a year.

We started with a Michigan and a Spanish warm up.   Both were very well liked with the edge going to the very pale yet flavorful and crisp 2018 Left Foot Charley Michigan Blaufrankisch (Lemberger), MI (12.1%ABV) $15.99.   Just beaten by a hair was the very inexpensive, deep rosé with rich vinous flavors and fat plum-like desert grown 2018 Bodegas Eguren “Reinares” Tierra De Castilla Tempranillo Rosé, SP (12.5%ABV) $5.99.

FIRST FLIGHT

2018 Decoy (Duckhorn Wine Co.) California Rosé, CA (13.5%ABV) $14.39  With almost no color (truly a blancs de noir) the rich red wine flavors came as a surprise.   It is quite dry, long and well textured.  My score 88 points, group score 88 points, 2nd place tie.

2018 Chateau Ste. Michelle Columbia Valley Rosé, WA/OR (12.5%ABV) $7.19  This has been heavily advertised in the wine press lately and I’d never had it so, I thought it would be worth a try based on my opinion that Washington wines are among the world’s best wine values.   Unfortunately, I think this very fine wine company is just trying to fill a marketing void here.   Though fairly refreshing with a “still fermenting” aroma and some vigor on the palate, it’s fat and easy demeanor are not likely to show well with savory dishes.  My score 80 points, group score 87 points, three way tie for fourth place.

2018 Elk Cove Willamette Valley Estate Pinot Noir Rosé, OR (13%ABV) $12.49  Here is a wine with class!   A very pretty pink color, crisp citrus scents and minerals hit the nose and palate finishing with a plump red wine mouth feel.   My score 91 points, group score 87 points, three way tie for fourth place.

2017 Cline Ancient Vines Contra Costa County Mourvedre Rosé, CA (13.5%ABV) $8.99  The color is a beautiful pale salmon while the first whiff is a remarkable, if not unusual, exotic mélange of yellow fruit and figs followed by rich earthy flavors and a long complex finish.   I’m not sure what makes this wine so compelling, but, one sip just leads to another and another.   It is a wine that continues to grow and get better every time it hits the palate.   My score 95 points, group score 87 points, three way tie for fourth place.

SECOND FLIGHT

2018 La Vielle Ferme French Table Wine Rosé, FR (13%ABV) $6.30  Perhaps it is unfair to put a simple table wine against appellation specific wines.  But, a few tasters did like it.  I couldn’t find much to recommend the very pale, very light, very mild washed out flavors.  Though, on a hot day, served ice cold, it might be a refreshing alternative to wine with ice cubes in it.  My score 77 points, group score 82 points, 8th (last) place.

2018 Bieler Pere & Fils Coteaux D’Aix-En-Provence Rosé, FR (13%ABV) $10.79 This is Charles Bieler’s (of Charles & Charles / Three Bandits fame) home winery.   He ships 100% of this wine to the US selling none in France.   Well, he certainly hit the sweet spot with our group who overwhelming picked it first (except me) suggesting he knows what he is doing in making a wine for the American market.  I found it only slightly more interesting than the Le Vielle Ferme with a bit more depth and an appealing fresh green herb citrus finish.  My score 82 points, group score 91 points, 1st place.

2017 M Chapoutier “Belleruche” Cotes-Du-Rhone Rosé, FR (13.5%ABV) $11.69  The light salmon color is quite inviting as is the crisp acid and tropical fruit flavors.   A nice combination of mango, lime, minerals, berry liquor make it enjoyable.   It is nonetheless a pretty lean wine that may not appeal to all palates.  My score 84 points, group score 85 points, 7th place.

2017 Domaine Mejan-Taulier “Canto Perdrix” Tavel, FR (14%ABV) $13.99  The color is almost red which, I think lead me and most of the tasters to expect more.   However, the nose is a bit closed and requires some swirling in the glass to release some very Rhone-like red wine scents and soft juicy vividly fresh fruit essence.  It clearly improved as it warmed up.   It may also improve with bottle age.   It just felt a lot bigger on the tongue than what I found in the glass.  My score 89 points, group score 88 points, 2nd place tie.

Though none of these wines were expensive, the group, as usual, seemed to favor those on the higher end.   With the exception of the Decoy and Chateau Ste. Michelle, I favored them in exactly the order in which each flight was poured from lowest appellation to highest.  I was both surprised at how good and interesting the Cline was and disappointed at how little the Tavel was revealing at this point.   Saying a wine needs time is just another poor excuse for a sub-par wine.   Well, not really sub-par, but, certainly not what I had hoped for.

I did pull out one more mystery wine that might just have been the hit of the evening.  Over five years ago, I was visiting our old house in Grand Rapids and noticed a pretty good Chambourcin crop on the vines.  I tried in vain to contact the current owner to get permission to pick the grapes.   Finally, he sent me an email.   By the time I got over there to pick the grapes, they were falling off the vine by just touching them.   I lost about 2/3 of the crop, but, with what little there was, I pressed out a rosé.   It was delicious early on and has held up very well.  No mystery really, it was 2013 Michigan Vintner Michigan Rosé of Chambourcin, MI.

Enjoy in Good Health,

Brian Cain, The Michigan Vintner