I feel Rosé all over!

I have missed a few tastings downtown of late but I was pleased to help out with a "drink pink" sampling last night. 24 attendees at DeVines and some nice snacky food of cheese, bruschetta and mortadella.

The Reception wine was the N/V Gaston Chiquet Rosé, good price at $50 Cdn. Very lite pink, lots of mousse but not yeasty. Green apple and some red currant. Nice introduction but nothing that special. I have posted here on the `09 Ochoa Rosado from Navarra. QPR at $14, quite full-bodied with great mouthfeel and acidity. Deepish color, flew off the shelf after the tasting.
Next up was the `09 Hendry from Napa. Blend of everything including Zin, CF, CS, P Verdot and so on. Winery always believes in good quality fruit and it showed here. Dry-ish, good viscousity but not cheap ($26). Not that popular around the tables. The following pinkie was the WOTN for many.....`09 Torbreck Saigne Mataro Rosé, I was impressed! Chalky nose, off-dry, lots of flavor from the Mourvedre. Elegant too, really fresh and went well with bruschetta. Wow wine forumites.

The `09 Domaine Houchart from Provence was well accepted by all. Good value at $20 I thought. Classic shaped bottle, pink salmon color. Not much of a nose but on palate good Syrah with some spice and slight tannins. Interesting wine from an area I love. The `08 Campolargo Vinha do Putto, Bairrada was next with light prickly effervescence. Not a big wine at all, should have been served first. Finally the `08 13th Street Cabernet Rosé from Niagara, a small winery downtown. 54% CF, 46% CS from a Mr Funk! Strawberry compote and roasted red peppers on the palate, nice fruit and of some interest I thought. I would put some away if I had room on the kitchen table!

So there you are, thanks for reading my post!

[Jenise]

Bob, love that rose. We served 19 of them last night to our neighborhood tasting group--great fun. And not one of them were any of the ones you had here. Sure are a lot to go around these days, and that's a good thing.

Btw, the Hendry--where was the alcohol on that one if you looked?

so, jenise, what happened to the post of your 19 roses? seems to be missing.

Bob, love that rose. We served 19 of them last night to our neighborhood tasting group--great fun. And not one of them were any of the ones you had here. Sure are a lot to go around these days, and that's a good thing.

Btw, the Hendry--where was the alcohol on that one if you looked?

I did not write down, will check this pm when in store.

I see that there is the `10 Domaine Houchart downtown so will be tempted to try pretty soon after the admirable `09 I raved about here.

Good to see some rosé WTNs, Bob.

WOTN for many.....`09 Torbreck Saigne Mataro Rosé, I was impressed! Chalky nose, off-dry, lots of flavor from the Mourvedre. Elegant too, really fresh and went well with bruschetta. Wow wine forumites.

Was it savoury at all? And how was the finish?

I don't drink a lot of rosé because I just never get around to it but the other night I had a 2010 rosé of some sort from Provence and it was a delightful dose of spring-summer-time. It didn't matter that it was cool and rainy outside. We had ramps and fiddlehead ferns being prepared for dinner.

Ben gotcha! TNs were originally posted last July so memory has failed me...yet again. All I can say is this was good juice!

Rahsaan, what are ramps!!?

Rahsaan, what are ramps!!?

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Allium_tricoccum

They grow in parts of Canada, although perhaps not Alberta.

Some nice pinks there, Bob. From where does Torbreck come?

Bob, did I send you an ESJ Bone-Jolly rosé? And have you pulled cork yet?

Some nice pinks there, Bob. From where does Torbreck come?

Barossa Valley Tim.

Bob, did I send you an ESJ Bone-Jolly rosé? And have you pulled cork yet?

Not yet Bob, waiting for the right patio moment!

A work of caution as to the durability of Provencal rose'. We had dinner last September with several winemakers in Provence and they told us that after one year in the bottle they can turn overnight. I would think most rose' made with the saignee process will hold for at least a year longer, but rose' is mainly "drink now". So, if you are buying the '09 Houchart, plan to drink now, not even three weeks from now, better yet, buy and enjoy the current vintage. One of those winemakers at dinner was Nathalie Coquelle, owner of Chateau Des Annibals (Coteaux Varois En Provence), named for the fact that Hannibal came through the area years ago with his elephants. Hence an gold pachyderm is embossed on the label along with the only descriptor, "Suivez-moi-jeune-homme" which translates as "Follow me young man", quite a captivating name for a "fetching" rose', and I was quite surprised to find a bottle of the '10 Annibals, Suivez-moi-jeune-homme in a local store and quickly grabbed one. $15.99, 13% ABV and exquisite. Will buy more. It was a very pleasant dinner and wonderful chance to discuss wines with two producers. I, too, am a fan of the Houchart (we were greeted with a bottle our first night in Marsailles) and just last week had a bottle of the '09, but it is showing some color, so watch out. Even the French are drink more rose' these days than white. And I don't know a wine that goes better with food.

I think The Wine Merchant in Raleigh carries Houchart and I may be able to pick up one in June. Won't have the chance when I attend a wine dinner in Raleigh May 18 as I will be driving straight to the restaurant from work. I will ask them to save a bottle for me if they do have it in stock. The restaurant where I am dining May 18 is Provencal cuisine and they often have a Houchart rose' on the menu at their wine dinners. I picked up four bottles of rose' wines at Macarthur Beverages (Bassin's) in DC last week--two Domaine de la Solitude rose' from the Rhone, a Chateau Grande Cassagne from Costiere-de-Nimes that I had seen recommended by two postings, and a Thomas & Fils Sancerre Rouge Terres Blanches (I enjoy the Pinot Noir rose' wines from Sancerre.) The Sancerre was the only one that cost over $15 (I paid $21.99). (I also picked up some German Riesling, an Austrian Gruner Veltliner, and a Trimbach Riesling Cuvee Frederic Emile from Alsace.) A few more Sauvignon Blanc and I should be set for summer.

I might be getting into the new vintage of the Houchart pretty soon after this good discussion.
Who started all this? Oh I did!

I had my first '10 Ch. D'Escalan Whispering Angles about a week ago and it was fab. Lovely and Love it. No need to go all crazy iIMHO to buy their top stuff when the $15 a bottle will do for me.

I know that some of us are experiencing some lousy weather but how about trying a Rosé in the next few days. To get things going, I will open my new vintage Houchart this evening!

JC, did you manage to find any in your neck of the woods?

Bob H; Bob P can't pull the cork on it. It's a Stelvin!

[David M. Bueker]

A work of caution as to the durability of Provencal rose'. We had dinner last September with several winemakers in Provence and they told us that after one year in the bottle they can turn overnight.

The cynic in me can think of a specific reason why they would say that!

i stronly agree that rose - even more than white - needs to be consumed as young as possible. wouldn't even consider a 2009 at this point much less anything older. an '09 MAY still be good; but even el cheapo ones from 2010 are a much better bet. we bought a lot of rose in france and had it and other wines shipped back. just arrived. looking forward to getting into the roses from sancerre, chinon, noble joue, cote du rhone and provence. i'm especially fond of Loire rose - lighter, and better balance in general than southern ones. my wine group has its solstice party at my house this week and the theme is - you guessed it - rose.

i stronly agree that rose - even more than white - needs to be consumed as young as possible. wouldn't even consider a 2009 at this point much less anything older. an '09 MAY still be good; but even el cheapo ones from 2010 are a much better bet. we bought a lot of rose in france and had it and other wines shipped back. just arrived. looking forward to getting into the roses from sancerre, chinon, noble joue, cote du rhone and provence. i'm especially fond of Loire rose - lighter, and better balance in general than southern ones. my wine group has its solstice party at my house this week and the theme is - you guessed it - rose.

David, I tend to agree with you regarding freshness. However, a few months ago I found a forgotten stash of 2007 Bone-Jolly (ESJ) rosé of Gamay. Expecting the wine to be completely OTH, I figured nothing ventured nothing lost or gained, so I twisted the stelvin. Imagine my surprise when I sipped and found the wine to be as fresh as when it was new. I somehow mentioned that to Steve, and by golly He said he had some of it left, and would put it on closeout. I got a case this spring and it's still drinking well. In fact the '07 is fresher than '08. Could it be that rosé of Gamay holds up better than the traditional rosés?

well, if gamay were known for this feature, we probably would have heard about it. there is quite a bit of rose beaujolais sold on site - and cheverny rose is partly gamay as well. plus, why would the '08 not show the same character. more likely something to do with the way it was treated before it was bottled. either lots of sulphur or lots of reduction. if this was the first bottling under stelvin that would be the easy explanation. i'm not saying there aren't exceptions. but rather than toss a coin, i'd go with the current vintage every time - or pick a white. on a philosophical note, i'm pretty certain i'd rather have the new wave of syrah roses from the northern rhone - usually Collines Rhodeniens - than the much more famous Tavel roses. Just unpacked both the Verney and the Jasmin. wish i'd gotten more. the reds from the VDP are usually pretty plodding and four-square; but the roses are charmers.

well, if gamay were known for this feature, we probably would have heard about it. there is quite a bit of rose beaujolais sold on site - and cheverny rose is partly gamay as well. plus, why would the '08 not show the same character. more likely something to do with the way it was treated before it was bottled. either lots of sulphur or lots of reduction. if this was the first bottling under stelvin that would be the easy explanation. i'm not saying there aren't exceptions. but rather than toss a coin, i'd go with the current vintage every time - or pick a white. on a philosophical note, i'm pretty certain i'd rather have the new wave of syrah roses from the northern rhone - usually Collines Rhodeniens - than the much more famous Tavel roses. Just unpacked both the Verney and the Jasmin. wish i'd gotten more. the reds from the VDP are usually pretty plodding and four-square; but the roses are charmers.

David, I was just relating an experience, not trying to change your mind. I too am a fan of the rosès of the southern regions, and in particular I like the rosè from Ch. de Lancyre. plus lots of others but the CdL is a fav. In fact all of the Lancyre wines are favorites. Of course some could say that Bob H has some weird favorites. he likes Tahbilk marsanne, he is a fan of many Italian whites. He is not a huge fan of cab s. he is a fan of the reds from ESJ, but not so much a fan of the whites. He does like the ESJ rosè. He is not a big fan of Oz shiraz other than Tahbilk (of those I have tasted) He is a huge fan of Linda's Stone Wolf pn and pg. Like I say it could be said......

WTN: 2010 Domaine Houchart Cotes de Provence Rosé.

New vintage just showed up here in town and a must buy for me! SC, 13.5% alc, $19 Cdn.

Salmon pink in color, nose aromatics quite appealing with some herb influence, raspberry, floral and strawberry as it airs. For some reason, I always prefer my pinkies quite chilled. Initial entry is delicate, quite fruity and nice mineral element. Strawberry, good acidity, long finish but needs food to help along I think. "Could not find the creaminess others talk about" from across the table.
Very enjoyable and held up well over 24 hrs.