Olé Rosé

Michael Vaughan
Friday, May 30, 2008

Welcome to Friday First
I have always enjoyed rosé. For some, this pink wine should be avoided at all cost. Perhaps this negative attitude was triggered by experiencing a cheap, even sometimes not so cheap, inferior rosé. I am amazed that Vintages still carries some aging disappointments. Last year, for instance, it was a gentle thumbs down on Australia’s Yering Station 2006 E.D. Pinot Noir Rosé at $17.95. It rated * (out of *** stars) and showed some maturity then. Now, almost a year later, it’s still hanging around in 51 LCBO stores. Worse yet, it is still at the original price!

If you want to see a great rosé, try Hidden Bench 2006 Locust Lane Rosé (68833) at $18.00 (now sold out at the winery), which was released May 2nd. I awarded it the highest rosé score of the year **+/***. This very tasty blend of 70% Pinot Noir, 15% Syrah and 15% Malbec has a medium reddish rosé colour. It has a complex, intense, spicy, slightly smoky, baked ripe plum and dried strawberry nose. On the palate it is dry, harmonious and medium-full bodied with fairly intense, well-structured, plummy and ripe cherry flavours with a long, lingering finish.

Looking at the ‘General List’ I decided to do a blind tasting of four LCBO top sellers – three from France and one from Chile. 2006 Ted the Mule Grenache-Syrah (622126 - $12.05 with 4 bonus airmiles) is a Rhone blend with a light purple pink colour and very slightly candied, fresh, ripe plum nose with hints of dried strawberries. On the palate it was dry, quite well nicely structured and medium bodied with ripe plum flavours and a clean lingering, crisp finish with a just hint of white pepper. While it has done well in the past, the higher alcohol (14%) makes it more of a dinner wine (bbq salmon) as opposed to a light summer sipper. Out of the four tasted, it ranked third.

If you want something light and fresh, I suggest that you try Remy Pannier 2006 Rosé d’Anjou 2006 (12641 - $10.90) with only 10.5% alcohol. It ranked first with one taster and second with everyone else. It comes from the Loire and has a light Day-Glo purple-pink colour and dry, slightly dusty, plummy nose with hints of lemon. The palate is classy, very pleasant and just off dry with fresh, plummy, ripe strawberry-tinged flavours with a crisp finish. Fresh and modest but with meaningful acidity, it would pair well with soup and a curry-chicken sandwich.

The number one position goes to the delicious, vibrant ** Chilean Santa Alicia Vineyards 2007 Rosé Reserve (73528 - $10.95). It has a very attractive, bright, slightly spicy, ripe, plummy, raspberry-rhubarb nose. On the palate it is very slightly sweet, gently honeyed, plummy with very juicy, ripe red cherry flavours and a lingering tangy finish with frais de bois (baby strawberry) notes. Be careful - this dangerously drinkable, ready to enjoy, quaffer has 14% alcohol. You might throw in a couple of ice cubes on a hot summer day.

I will be giving you weekly Rosé updates all summer as to the ever-changing face of this tasty wine.

Coming Up: Professional buyers and sommeliers might want to check out ViniPortugal, a trade tasting on Tuesday, June 3rd at the Fairmont Royal York Hotel Concert Hall starting at 2:00 pm. It features more than 50 producers and 400+ wines. For more info contact William Delgado at 416-921-0259 or email william.delgado@portugalglobal.pt or click here.

Also, starting next Sunday, June 8th is the Chateau des Charmes' Niagara Farm to Table Experience. The Bosc family invites you to come and celebrate Niagara’s bounty, produced locally and brought directly from the farm to your table by chefs of the Niagara Farm to Table movement. Featuring Chef Stephen Treadwell, held at Chateau des Charmes winery, starting at 4:30 to 6:30 pm. Tickets are $50 per person. Contact Michèle Bosc at 905-262-4219 ext. 26 or click here for more information.

If you wish to receive the June 7th Edition of Vintage Assessments and get the complete list of exactly what’s worth buying (and avoiding) become an FBTI Supporter today and have our June 7th issue and my personal Shopping List sent to you TODAY click here