Open Mike: Rose Wines.

2007 Saint André de Figuière Côtes de Provence Cuvée Magali [30 percent Syrah, 30 percent Cabernet, 25 percent Grenache, 15 percent Cinsault] (Côtes de Provence AOC, Provence, southeastern France) screwcap closure, 12.5% - imported to USA by Country Vintner, Oilville, Virginia - My initial impressions of this wine were far more favorable than my final take. It has a beautiful salmon color and a lively fruity, melon nose, my initial taste of salty and sweet with a bit of zip made it seem like a wine which would be lovely to share with my mom. But, for whatever reason, it didn't wear well. It just seemed boring to me after finishing a glass and my mom didn't care for it as she thought the finish was bitter (didn't catch any of that myself). I thought the zip might make this a refreshing good hot day wine. It wasn't. At $17, I certainly wouldn't try this one again.

Pity, do you think the idea of adding Cab Sauv was such a brilliant idea?!!

2007 Saint André de Figuière Côtes de Provence Cuvée Magali [30 percent Syrah, 30 percent Cabernet, 25 percent Grenache, 15 percent Cinsault] (Côtes de Provence AOC, Provence, southwestern France) screwcap closure, 12.5% - imported to USA by Country Vintner, Oilville, Virginia - My initial impressions of this wine were far more favorable than my final take. It has a beautiful salmon color and a lively fruity, melon nose, my initial taste of salty and sweet with a bit of zip made it seem like a wine which would be lovely to share with my mom. But, for whatever reason, it didn't wear well. It just seemed boring to me after finishing a glass and my mom didn't care for it as she thought the finish was bitter (didn't catch any of that myself). I thought the zip might make this a refreshing good hot day wine. It wasn't. At $17, I certainly wouldn't try this one again.

Keith, I share your feelings about Cuvée Magali, ingratiating at first and becoming boring, and much prefer Vielles Vignes which is Mourvèdre dominated. There is also a Réserve, even more Mourvèdre, which I haven't had.

I share your feelings about Cuvée Magali, ingratiating at first and becoming boring, and much prefer Vielles Vignes which is Mourvèdre dominated.

Interesting. Good to hear the VV wears better. Are they similarly priced?

At a local wine merchant, Magali is offered at € 8,69 and VV at € 10, 29. We are having a rotten spell of windy and rainy weather this week so I don't feel tempted to join in the rosé fun.

Tim, just got back from the Calgary Stampede! You want some fun, direct flight from Amsterdam!!
Oh, lots of beer, rye coke and yup a Rose..from Gres Saint Paul.

Domain Lafond Tavel Rose 2006..blend of Grenache,Syrah,Cinsault and several unnamed other rhone varietals.who knows?? Bone dry, hints of strawberry and spice with a slighlty chemical after aftertaste..color supports Watermelon as mentioned on back label tho I did not pick up any on either the nose or the palate.reasonably priced but not exciting,,
Preferred the Las Rochas Rosado consumed earlier this year

2004 Domaine Joseph Roty Marsannay Rosé (France, Burgundy, Côte de Nuits, Marsannay)
Left over from last summer. Last year I loved the earthiness of this wine; this summer the fruit has faded quite a bit, leaving a complex nose full of secondary aromas. Light and beguiling on the palate; long finish. Pretty in the glass; a tinge of copper. Altogether quite a lot different than I remember from last year, but a little age is fine for the right rose. Time to stock up again!

The evening before July 4th I was in NYC and had picked up another bottle of English/U.S.-labelled Tabor Rosé, 2007 (from Galilee, Israel; Cabernet Franc) from my first in-store visit ever to Gotham Wines on Broadway. I have been consistently tracking the supply of this wine since February, and cease to be disappointed since its more broad release in April.

This evening of the 14th, I blindly bought three bottles of the non-currently distributed Yatir Shani, 2005 (named after the Scarlet/Crimson Cord in the Bible; from Negev Desert, Israel; 50% Merlot, Syrah). I last tasted this more complex Rosé on my birthday in March, and it was not yet its peak and was excellent, but in my first tasting now I thought it was slightly passed its peak, yet very quaffable… I remember a couple of months ago I was eating out Chinese and had a craving for this particular wine to contribute to a first meeting with some guests in the country, but even then the supply was already scarce (instead I ordered the Golan Heights Winery, Yarden Gewürtraminer, 2007, which went very well at the table, but didn't expect it to be as alcoholic as it is [14.5%]).

Best wishes,
E.Y.

[David M. Bueker]

E.Y.,

In just the short time in which some of the folks from Rogov's group have joined I have learned of a diversity of wine in Israel that I never knew existed. Thanks for all the information (even if it's probably hard to get the wines).

And welcome to the WLDG!

Domaine Balivet, Bugey Cerdon, NV

A sparkler (does that count, Bob?). No actual notes 'cause we were too busy talking/sipping.

Enjoyed twice in the last week. Once with food and once without. Perfectly refreshing - if a tiny bit sweet - on its own, but even more delightful with an assortment of light appetizers. If I wasn't already so in love with ESJ Bone-Jolly Gamay Rose, this would be my default summer sipper.

[David M. Bueker]

Bugey rocks!

I love good German Spätburgunder, but I detest Mosel Spätburgunder. BUT, when it is 'pinked', it can be refreshing and interesting, as is this VS.

The absence of pigment is astonishing; this goes beyond all of the lightly tinted 'salmon' rose one might find in the palest Provençal rose into the realm of platinum-pink. The fruit is juicy strawberry and red apple, while it isn't weedy, it does have an interesting dried hay and wildflower aroma along with brioche sweetness and lead mineral. It is pleasant and fun to drink, and drink it I will! 13% alc. $16


Cheers,
Bill

WTN: `06 Gipsy Grange Philippe, Domaine Gres Saint-Paul, Vins Pays d`Oc.

Great producer from the Languedoc area. 12.5% alc, blend of 60% Syrah and 40% Grenache. Cost was around $18 I think, synthetic cork, opened and poured rightaway.

Color. Deep pink with reddish tones.

Nose. Refined gentle raspberry, violets, redcurrant/cranberry. Nose is not as forthcoming as the Lancyre I posted on last week.

Palate. Fresh, good acidity, lengthy mineral finish--red fruits and tangerine. Not sweet, like the savory character here. Not much for notes I`m afraid as we consumed during the Stampede!!
Buy again, yup along with the Lancyre.

With summer here, it only seems natural that some of us are thinking "pink". I have a few lined up for warm summer evenings so lets see what is out there, we might even find some from the east coast!!

Bob, It's winter where I am but there is nothing wrong with a pink winter night. I had one a couple of weeks ago - unchilled however, as the bottle was cold enough without further chilling.

Bald Hills Central Otago Blanc de Pinot Noir 2006
Gorgeous, pretty, deep rose water / cherry coloured transparent pink. The nose is delicately floral with wild strawberry, sweet cherry and subtle herb scents and the palate is rich and textural and seemingly quite dry. There's ripe cherry, hints of strawberry, a delicate herbal / citrus twist to the finish and a stonefruit character emerging on the lingering aftertaste. Soft, easy, non-confrontational and drinking surprisingly well for a 2 year old wine - I say that because many producers tell us to drink up Rose the year of vintage.

Also Jancis Robinson said in an article recently, '"Unfortunately, poor weather last summer has left too many fading 2006s undrunk. If possible, choose a 2007."
Her statement is not true for the New Zealand's 2006's - it was a super vintage year here.

The wine has a screwcap closure and the bottle states 14% alcohol. When I checked the tech notes I found it was bone dry too.

Cheers,
Sue Courtney

It sounds very attractive, Sue.

2007 Marqués de Cáceres Rioja Rosado [80 percent Tempranillo, 20 percent Garnacha] (Rioja DO, La Rioja Alta, northern central Spain) screwcap closure, 13.5% - imported to USA by Vineyard Brands – appears medium bright red, smell funky fruit nose that I really like, pineapple/raspberry/strawberry and the tang of orange juice, some depth of tar, this is a pretty nice nose, taste rocky salty, fruit much more recessed on the tongue than on the nose, still the fruit essence here is a bit harsh, it kind of felt like a wine where they pressed every last bit of life out of the poor grapes, I can’t imagine anything was left out, overpressed cherry skin, feels like a bizarre mix, that being said, my mom preferred this one to the Tres Ojos, with perhaps a bit more sweetness and more pleasant mouthfeel, not to my taste on a particular day, but I’d try it again at the $10 I paid

We popped an '06 which was one of two that we recently picked up from Whole Paycheck. Same price and alcohol level. We got the same impression and tastes that you did, but without the bit of harshness and overpressing you mentioned. Maybe it smoothed out with the extra year.

Matched it with grilled salmon fillet, creme peas, and salad. Very nice Friday Night.

Whole Paycheck

LOL!

Have the Pic St Loup Bob H is raving about.

So Bob, have you picked up a bottle of the Lancyre rosé? And if so let me know what you think when you get around to popping the cork?

Bob H, guess you saw my TN on the `06? Well, the `07 est arrive! Stay tuned.

Guess the only person drinking Rose right now is Sue down in NZ! I took along a bottle of the new vintage Lancyre (`07) when down in the `Hat for Xmas. Quite delicious and will stock up on some more.
I did not take notes as it was a non-geek wine crowd but bottle emptied mighty quick!

Guess the only person drinking Rose right now is Sue down in NZ!

Yep, that's right Bob. Neils' helping me and in this sultry, sunburning, January heat right now in NZ, I bet a lot more people are trying out Rose too.
In this kind of weather the ones that are drinking deliciously are the one straight out of the refrigerator - and they must be current vintage as a few of the 2007's I've tasted in the past week are just losing that ultra fresh edge.

A couple of recommendations,
25 Steps Central Otago Rose 2008 - made from Pinot Noir from a magnificent terraced vineyard overlooking Lake Dunstan.
Neudorf Nelson Rose 2008 - made from Pinot Noir from vines overlooking Kina Beach.

Both so pretty in pink.

Cheers,
Sue

Thanks Sue, naturally keeping myself informed through your website!

Not so fast! We're about to enter peak rosé drinking season down here too, and I have half a dozen lined up for the next few weeks, including ESJ, Castello di Ama, Kesseler Pinot Noir, Weinert, Niepoort Redoma and others...

Oswaldo.. if you can find the Charles Melton Rose from Australia, give it a try... amazing Rose...and one that ages well.... Very complex.. from Shiraz...