Suggestions for a wedding rosé

WINE TALK
21

[beg.gif]

[beg.gif]

22

Tom, I’m pretty sure the last vintage of RLdH rose released into the market was 2000. Are you saying you’ve actually seen a bottle of 2001?

23

2001 is listed on CT but the LdH website lists 2000 as the latest vintage so CT entries must be wrong.

24

Whether or not it could be found, and regardless of vintage, LdH would be my last choice on earth for a wedding rose. It’s one of the weirdest wines out there! I like it, but boy is it an odd duck.

25

Surely, this isn’t the first example of thread drift. Your disclaimer is a good idea.

26

Not sure I understand your point. I realize it could not be a serious contender. Just adding my thoughts about the LdR rose as a very strange and polarizing wine - something that strikes me every time I taste it. Someone who has never had it before might appreciate knowing that it’s in a category all its own.

27

Côtes de Provence is a very elegant rosé. May be cliche, but Chateau d’Esclans Whispering Angel is always good bet. Should run about $20/bottle…maybe less if you buy by the case.

28

Totally agree with Sarah… ldh would make a terrible wedding wine. It would be like serving an orange wine.

Also, not all other Spanish roses are the same. The ametzoi is very different in style than the Provençal roses… it’s like a cool climate rose from cab franc made by the ocean (I believe hondorrabi beltza is genetically the same as cab franc). Zippy, saline, and electric.

29

Thanks for all of the suggestions. I can’t believe I forgot Red Car!

I like the rosé tasting idea. I just have to sell it to the fiancée.

And, I don’t think men are going to shy away from rosé. It’s been pretty popular in Southern California for the past couple of years.

30

A few I like (IIRC these are all in your price range)
Domaine La Suffrene Bandol Rosé
Domaine Labbé Vin de Savoie (make sure it’s rosé, they have several wines with almost the same name)
Elisabetta Fagiuoli Sono Montenidoli Canaiulol Toscana IGT
François Chidaine Touraine Rosé

31

According to this…it’s all the rage for young men…

32

Though what you drink at home is different than what you order at a wedding reception or at the singles bar.

I hope everyone loves it. I’m just saying, consider that you might have a lot of wine left over afterwards, and make sure it’s something you’ll be happy to drink cases of.

33

I know a number of local places that would take back the extras – might make sense for the OP to see whether his local retailers would have a similar policy.

Also, nice new avatar Cap’n.

34

Well, the boys may very well drink “brose,” but let’s face it, real men drink LDH…(at least in public) [snort.gif]

35

Sorry to be pedantic/geeky, but the above is not correct or precise. Hondarrabi Zuri is a white variety. The local red is called Hondarrabi Beltza. Apparently, they are not related. I have never heard or seen any reference to H. Beltza being Cab Franc and I believe the knowledge as it stands now consider it a local variety not identical to other known varieties. This may of course be proven wrong with more research. I believe you may be confusing Mencia from Bierzo with the basque red variety? This was believed to be Cab Franc for a period of time (though now proven not to be). You can read a bit more on local basque varieties here:

End of thread drift. I agree that LdH rosé would be bad choice for a big party :slight_smile:

36

Glad you like the rosé tasting idea! Be sure to let the bar staff know to not open EVERY BOTTLE prior to service. I’ve seen that at so many wedding.

37

Some of the roses, including the Chateau Triennes that Sarah recommended, are closed with screw caps. That pretty much eliminates any reason to open bottles before needed.

-Al

38

+1 on both of these. Lots of great suggestions in this thread.

Another great rose is the Baudry from the Loire.

39

Oops, I always get them backwards. Fixed. [cheers.gif]

As for Beltza, the internets say they are related:
http://www.wine-searcher.com/grape-1673-hondarrabi-beltza

A retailer I spoke to in Seattle last year told me that there had recently been some genetic testing done and it came out that Hondarrabi Beltza and Cab Franc (which originated in the Basque region) were both the same grape, similar to primitivo and zin. But I guess it’s just hearsay at this point!

40

A great deal depends on where you are located and what’s available in your local market. A lot of rose wines are available here retail in Southern California; other markets are much more limited.

I agree with the tasting suggestion, and I’ve done it in the past to help friends select their wedding reception wine. One tweak is to visit more than one retailer and ask them to recommend their top 2-3 roses at your price point. Then select from that larger group for a smaller tasting. Ultimately, only select one, or perhaps two, roses to serve. Having 3 or 4 different roses on hand is likely to just confuse many of your guests.

Bruce