Rose Tasting

Rose tasting

Present: Tom, Bob, and Ruth Noland

Wine #1
A medium copper pink wine. Nice red fruit nose with strawberries upfront and violets in the background. Ruth smelled acid in this wine – tart strawberries to be specific. Bob detected lychee fruit, red raspberry and pink grapefruit on the nose. A nice tart wine tasting of pink grapefruit and white peaches with a medium to long smooth, acidic, fruit finish. Bob and Tom rated this wine #1. Ruth rated it #2. Classic rose – Bob.

Wine #2
Medium dark copper pink wine. A deep rich ripe red fruit nose of red plum and strawberries with a background of lychees and melons. Bob thought it had lots of red fruit with strawberries and cream and plums. Ruth detected fully ripe strawberries. All agreed it had the best nose by far. Rich creamy red raspberries on the midpalate with nice balance, although a bit short on acidity. Long finish of ripe melons and crème brulee. Bob got ripe strawberries with rocks and gravel on the finish. Bob and Tom rated this wine #2 (great promise in the nose but slight disappointment in the taste with an acid deficit in the midpalate) Ruth rated this wine #1.

Wine #3
Medium copper pink. Shy nose of pitchy pine with light overtones of apricot and maybe thyme. Bob thought it had cucumber. Vegetative smells of parsley and green jalapeno pepper were detected by Ruth. This nose opened up with time (30-45 minutes). Weak midpalate of unripe red fruit. Bob thought it tasted of pink grapefruit and detected slight heat. Short to medium finish. Rate #3 by all.

Wines:
Wine #1. Muga Rose 2007 13% abv. Tempranillo, garnacha, and viura. My wine

Wine #2. Chateau la Tour 2007 De Leveque 2007 Provence, Grenache based 13.5% abv. My wine.

Wine #3. Le Ten Dance 2006 Bordeaux rose 2006. 13% abv. Probably merlot based (our guess) Bob’s wine.

With food: Aged gouda, pecorino romano, aged cheddar, tomato-basil havarti
Muga great with aged gouda also nice with aged cheddar.

De Leveque – fantastic with pecorino romano – this salty acidic cheese fills in the acid hole in the midpalate. This was the best wine-food match of all the roses. Best rose with food.

Le Ten Dance really perked up with food and was great with aged gouda. It also brought out the basil in the tomato-basil havarti.

[David M. Bueker]

That Muga sounds really nice. I haven't purchased it in many years, but now I'm going to have to seek it out. Thanks!

That Muga sounds really nice. I haven't purchased it in many years, but now I'm going to have to seek it out. Thanks!

Thanks David,

Here are some other tasting notes on the Muga Rose:

This blend of Garnacha, Tempranillo and Viura has a very light pink colour. Spicy, harmonious plum nose with some rose hip notes. Dry, crisp, medium-light bodied, very slightly tart, plummy, ripe apple flavours with a very pleasant, crisp finish.

4; VaynerPAZZZ; COLOR-beautiful dark pink; NOSE-tight; some nice light berries; little strawberry & raspberry; TASTE-very dry; heavy, almost Chardonnay-like body; great w/ shellfish; great complexity; nice acidity (not overwhelming); very clean; more weight than most Rose's; cherries w/ the stems & green leaves

This dry rosé is light and pale in color, but delivers lovely, delicate flavors of watermelon, rose and tangerine that linger through the finish. Light and crisp, but intense and focused. Garnacha, Viura and Tempranillo. Drink now.

Finally, a serious Rose that can be enjoyed by both casual wine lovers and collectors alike! Ripe fruit and a fresh, clean finish make this a total no brainer.