Miner Family Winery makes a nice ‘Rosata.’
Chiarello…I think I’ve had a rose and like their ‘orange wine.’
Turley’s rose zin is good.
This. California rosé would have to come down by at least $10 a bottle to come close to what comes out of France and Italy and even then the best can’t hold a candle to Bandol.
If you are finding wines you love for $20-25, don’t ever buy them if there is another region in the world that makes good wines in that general category for $15!!
The other thing people always feel compelled to say on the topic of Rose is “don’t buy Tempier for $40, since there are lots of good Bandol rose for $20.” I’ve always found that an odd argument coming from people like most of us here who routinely pay more to buy great wines from all over, and I think Tempier is among the very best roses made in the world. Doubly odd when the thing to be avoided is a terrific wine that costs $40, a price many of us regularly pay for merely pretty good wines from Napa, Sonoma, Burgundy, Champagne, Bordeaux, etc.
Is CA making headway? I hope so-I bought 5 of them on BD.
Shane Finley makes an excellent rose called Ma Fille.
Agreed! Year in year out, an excellent wine
Recently opened a bottle of Fulcrum rose (from Lake County) - nice wine.
Sam Bilbro’s Idlewild “The Flower” is fantastic. Yes it costs $25, but it is top notch quality, and the blend (Italian varieties) is not exactly something you will find in the south of France.
Me too. I mean, it is what it is. It’s like watching the MLS; they’re doing a good job, and they’re really trying hard, and I really do understand wanting to support local, but the overall level of achievement is not the same it is with EPL. I found a few of the Bedrock locally and put them up against a Gros Nore Bandol rose at a family function and the consensus was that the Bedrock was fine, perfectly pleasant, until the Bandol was opened. Then it was clear who was the winner. Which would all be fine, different strokes and all that, but when the Bandol or other Provencal rose is cheaper I just can’t see it. I’ll keep trying a couple of domestic rose a year and compare, but thus far I’ve seen nothing to convince me that the quality or value is there.
I agree in general about the pricing of domestic roses versus those coming out n if the South of France - our roses are getting up there a bit.
That said, I’ve had plenty type of Provencal roses that left me wanting more and were just ‘pleasant’, and I’ve had a handful that I found 'meaningful ’ and these were not $15-20.
I think part of the issue is ‘expectations’ - though I make a Mourvedre rose, I do not normally can I make a ‘bandol’ so it’s ‘challenging’ to do a direct comparison to me.
One if the best things about roses compared to most other wines discussed on this board - your ‘risk’ in trying many is not that great $$$wise . . .
Cheers.
If you’re going to spend on Cali rose Emily/Virage makes a killer cab franc rose every year as well as Larry’s Mouvedre rose.
I do think that Rosé wines are not represented strongly on WB, be it TN posts or otherwise.
However, it is apparent that many folks here drink the stuff on the regular.
Perhaps the increase in price that wine lovers are willing to pay for a Rosé, versus Reds and Whites, will serve as a primary indicator of its legitimacy…?
I like Tercero a lot. Limerick Lane makes a really nice Rose. Fred Scherrer used to make a tasty and interesting one from Zin and Pinot. As Kenn Zinns mentioned, there is no shortage of great choices.
Quick questions
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What temperature do you normally serve your rose at?
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What are the 2 or 3 key ‘traits’ you’re looking for in a stellar rose?
Cheers.
I use Bandol as the gold standard and to Larry’s point, they are not $15-$20, but more like $30 or higher. I sort of OD’d on Cali rose’ in my quest to find one that matches the same characteristics of the French versions. I now find myself more attracted to what I think of as the next step up from a rose’ body wise. Things like Cinsault, possibly Carignan, Counoise, Larry’s unoaked red, Aberration. Reds that while still light(er) can be served chilled for summer porch quaffing.
- Slightly below cellar temp
Too cold, and the flavors of a rosé become muted, perhaps even more so than a white that’s served too cold. I do like a crisp rosé though, one that’s served cool enough to allow for it to warm up in glass, especially in the summertime.
- Fruit, some spice/herb complexity, decent acidity and a bit of body
That’s 4, I know. But for my palate, that’s what I need from a rosé to consider it above average.
To answer Larry’s question, cool, but not cold.
High acidity.
Layers of fruit, not just strawberry or melon, but strawberry, melon, peach…
A mineral or herbal element.
Liquid Farm makes a great rose. Local wine shop has the 2015 for $20 so we’ve been stocking up.
Also looking forward to Larry’s 2016 that I went for on BD!
Larry,
First, I would like to thank you for your endless positivity and thoughtful participation in the WB forum. I am always happy to read your comments. Of course, we know your thoughts on corks.
In response to your questions:
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I drink most Whites and Rosés from the refrigerator, meaning that I chill them overnight, then begin pouring glass(es) approximately 20-30 minutes after the bottle has warmed up a few degrees. I typically like these wines better on the cool side (50°F+) - not cold enough to smother the flavors and aromas.
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I live in Louisiana, and I remain guilty of confining 99% of my consumption of Rosé to the warmer months. To be fair, that covers just about every month of the year! Rosé is just so delicious during the hotter days that I struggle divorcing it from the role as a quenching beverage. Maybe I will eventually give Rosé a respectable place at my dinner table*.
*Note to self: get a dinner table.
Rosé: cellar temp, which for me is 53 degrees.
I am actually a bit of a rosé skeptic, so it takes a very good one to move me to buy. I find most of the $15-20 French rosés to be boring. I love Tempier, but rarely pay the freight. I play around with the better domestic rosé wines because it’s fun to explore what producers are doing. Sometimes lightning strikes (e.g. 2011 Arnot-Roberts), and sometimes it’s a pleasant drink. Overall I prefer rosé made from grapes other than Pinot and Grenache.