It’s pretty hot here in New England in July. I bet it is hot where you are as well. Given the heat, it is sometimes tough to enjoy a big red wine. Unless of course you have a tasty rack of barbecue ribs. But at lunchtime, you are likely looking for something a little lighter, a little crisper, and refreshing. The perfect solution for you is a slightly chilled dry Rose. This spring and early this summer, I covered some dry Rose’s and here is a list of the very good ones.
We start in France with this Tavel from Lafond. Their 2011 “L’Esprit de Roc Epine” was my favorite so far this year. I scored it 91 points and it costs $24. It is made from a hodgepodge of grapes starting with 60% Grenache. Then they mixed in 10% Cinsault, 10% Syrah, 5% Carignan, and 15% Clairette, Picoul, Bourboulenc, and Mourvedre. It was medium bodied, nicely balanced, and smooth. I loved its very tasty gentle strawberry and red cherry blended flavors with a hint of white pepper and red raspberry. In the end, it drifts away nicely. I would suggesting pairing this impressive Rose with grilled salmon.
Staying in France, we shift to the Ventoux region. There we find the 2012 Chateau Pesquie “Terrasses” Rose for $14. This wine is the first of our six 90 point suggestions. This gem is made from 50% Cinsault, 40% Grenache, and 10% Syrah. It is medium bodied, a touch acidic and pleasantly crisp. The flavor profile is a very tasty mild mineral infused tangerine and strawberry blend with a hint of cherry in the background. The finish is dry and very refreshing. This is that perfect hot summer day wine. It would pair well with a grilled mahi-mahi sandwich.
We are changing up the style a little with our next offering. We move to California where we find a tasty fruit forward offering from St. Supery. Their 2012 “Rose Wine” is made from traditional Bordeaux grapes. It is medium bodied, nicely balanced and displays very fruity flavors. Those flavors are a blend of red apple, orange and strawberry. I also detected a hint of maraschino cherry. I would pair this flavorful wine with stuffed chicken marsala with figs.
The next offering is very limited and likely only to be found at the winery. The 2012 Merriam Vineyards “Rose of Pinot Noir” for $18 impressed all of us who tried it. It is light pink colored and opens with an inviting spicy red raspberry and strawberry bouquet. On the palate, this wine is light bodied, crisp and lively. We loved its blended strawberry and watermelon flavors with hints of pink grapefruit. It would be perfect with a grilled salmon steak.
Our next offering is a summer delight from Stemmler. Their 2012 “Vin Gris” Rose made from Pinot Noir. It is light to medium bodied, balanced and very easy to drink. I really enjoyed its tasty mild apple with gentle minerality flavors and a touch of watermelon. It finishes dry and its flavors fade away nicely. This Rose would pair well with many foods. I would pair this wine with grilled red snapper with a tropical fruit salsa.
Another 90 pointer is the 2011 V. Sattui “Dry Rosato” from California’s North Coast. This wine is made with 36% Grenache, 34% Syrah, and 30% Carignane. It opens with a fragrant maraschino cherry and Shirley Temple like bouquet. On the palate, it is medium bodied, nicely balanced and very easy to drink with no hard edges. I am certain you will enjoy its gentle ripe black cherry flavors with a hint of tangerine and just a touch of minerality and strawberry. It pleasantly fades away on the finish. This one is certain to be a crowd pleaser this summer as it will pair very well with many foods. Grilled beef satay came to mind.
Our last 90 pointer is the 2011 Castello di Amorosa “Gioia” Rose. This wine is made with Sangiovese. It is dark pink colored and opens with a strawberry bouquet with hints of wild roses and cherry. On the palate, this wine is medium bodied, nicely balanced and very approachable. I liked its tasty gentle strawberry and mild red raspberry flavors with hints of clementine and just a kiss of minerality. This Rose is very food friendly and would be perfect with beef or chicken satay off the grill.
Other Very Good Dry Rose’s
Xavier Flouret 2012 Rose “Nationale 7” (Cotes de Provence, France) $17 (89)
Medium bodied, balanced, mouthwatering and very easy to drink. Tasty mild strawberry flavors with nicely integrated gentle minerality with a hint of dried cherry. Enjoy it poolside with bacon wrapped scallops.
Lafond 2011 Rose “Tavel Roc-Epine” (Tavel, France) $17 (89)
Light to medium bodied, balanced, and savory. The flavor profile is a mineral infused strawberry and gentle red raspberry blend with a hint of white pepper. Nicely refreshing. Pair with grilled salmon this summer.
Blackbird 2012 Rose “Arriviste” (Napa Valley, CA) $25 (89)
Medium bodied and nicely balanced between its acidity and fruit. Mineral infused tangerine flavors with hints of strawberry and a touch of white pepper and spice. Pleasant summer wine. Pair with chicken teriyaki skewers.
Macari 2011 Rose (North Fork, LI) $15 (88)
Salmon pink colored from Long Island is light bodied, a tad crisp, and very easy going. The flavor profile is a pleasant mild apple with a hint of strawberry and light minerality. Very good value and nice beach wine.
Navarro 2012 “Rose of Pinot Noir” (Anderson Valley, CA ) $19 (88)
Medium bodied, slightly acidic and mouthwatering. The flavor profile is a mild mineral infused orange with hint of strawberry, lime, and white pepper. This wine would pair very nicely with shrimp scampi.
Herdade do Esporao 2011 Rose “Defesa” (Alentejo, Portugal) $13 (87)
Medium bodied, slightly acidic and crisp. Displays a blend of mild mineral infused Bosc pear and green apple flavors, with a hint of red raspberry and touch of oak. Pair with weisswurst off the grill.
Castello Banfi 2010 “Centine Rose” (Toscana, Italy) $11 (86)
This salmon pink colored Rose is a good value. It is medium bodied, balanced and very easy to drink. The flavor profile is a pleasant mineral infused strawberry with hints of gentle tangerine. Food friendly!
I hope you enjoy these Dry Rose options as much as I did. Please leave comments with your comments. This list just scratches the surface and I am sure the readers would like to hear from you as well. Cheers! Ken