I recently had a Rose of pinot noir from Colene Clemens that I thought was very good, and at $18 represented an excellent qpr. Which got me thinking about US Rose wines…truth be told I can’t think of many (any?) others that I like very much. Any suggestions for alternatives? Other than Robert Sinskey and Copain, I have not tried many. I am not counting Wind Gap pinot gris, which I also dig.
As to ex-US rose styles that resonate, I am a big Tavel fan (more Trinquevedel than dom de la Mordoree), as well as Chateau Leoube styled provencal wines and Boulay Chavignol/Sancerre pink wines. Thoughts? Thanx!
You are funny Robert. Thanks for the suggestions. Of those you listed, I am not a fan of the Etude, Heitz or the Curran. I thought the Bedrock was OK. I also didn’t list the Shane, which I also thought was OK and better than most. I am hoping for suggestions that are in keeping with the wines I mentioned that I did like. Of those you list, do any fit that profile?
You gave Tavel as a reference point. The principal grapes grown in Tavel are Grenache and Cinsault, followed by Syrah and Mourvedre. So I listed all the the Grenache, Syrah, and Mourvedre rosés that came to mind (I don’t know of a domestic Cinsault rosé).
You gave Sancerre as another reference point. Sancerre rosé is Pinot Noir, so I listed the Pinot Noir rosés that came to mind.
You gave “Chateau Leoube styled provencal wines” as another reference point. I don’t know that wine, but the Tablas Creek, Zaca Mesa, and Bedrock strike me as Provencal in character.
And I threw in the ESJ and Heitz çause I think they’re very tasty wines.
Edith by Cayuse is truly excellent but pricey. Scholium Project’s Rhododactylus is Cinsault and really quite good, but very pale. Matt Hatcher makes a lovely Cinsault, and a much deeper pink, here in Calaveras Co.
Every year we enjoy the Rose of pinot noir from DDO and Archery Summit wineries in the Willamette Valley. Very different style pinots, but both are very good. Both are under $18.
My favorite rosé this year is between Tablas Creek and Copain, with the '09 Bedrock Lulu a 3rd (I’m still not into my stash of '10 Lulus which it appears is in a very different style than '09).
A local here in Livermore called Longevity makes a rosé of Syrah that’s decent; dry and a little more full-bodied.
I think Curran and Bedrock set the bar here but a few others I like (and living in AZ you BETTER find some you do to get through the summer!) are Verdad, Kunin, Sean Minor, Elyse, and Groundworks.
2010 Bedrock Ode to Lulu is my favorite domestic Rose. I thought the 2009 to be rather pedestrian.
I just tried the 2010 Tercero Mourvedre Rose which is also excellent.