| Rose' Tasting Report |
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Apparently Rose wines are not for everyone. Certainly not
this tasting panel anyway. With the exception of the top three
wines in our tasting, the rest failed to impress any of the
tasting judges. I believe the typical comment from everyone
at the tasting was “This is the worst staff tasting we have ever
had.” Not exactly a ringing endorsement.
This blind tasting embodied everything that is conceptually
wrong with doing our tastings “Blind”, whereby we can’t see
the wine labels. Rose wines come in such a wide variety of
styles and flavors, especially since they are made with so many
different grape styles and concocted in almost as many
different ways. In this tasting, the meeker style Rose wines
got whipped by the dominant in your face styles. In many
cases, I believe some of the better food wines did poorly in the
head to head tasting because they were very neutral and
subtle, but that is the very thing that would be called for with
a delicate dish.
To help us along the way with our Rose tasting, we prepared a
variety of homemade picnic types of food. There was a greens
salad and a pasta salad, double-dipped fried chicken, tomato-
basil pesto, guacamole, shrimp cocktail & various other
appetizers. I believe the shrimp cocktail was a solid choice
with the Rose wines. The tangy cocktail sauce paired
brilliantly with the brash fruity flavors of the Rose wines.
Everything was delicious; in fact, I’d say that as a whole, the
food was far superior to the wines.
As for the wines, there were eight of them. Four from France
(the country considered to make the best in Rose wines), two
from California, one from Spain and one from South Africa.
Of the French Rose wines we tasted, one was corked and
therefore undrinkable and another one was way past its
prime. It was the oldest Rose in our tasting and it proves a
point I tried driving home on “The Wine of The Month”
page. You have to drink Rose wines no more than a year or
two at the latest from the current vintage year. You really
need to be careful about the vintage date when you buy the
wine. Rose wines just do not last that long. As for the other
two French Rose’s in our tasting, one considered to be one of
the best Rose wines made in the world, well, they got their
butts whipped by the Spaniard and the South African. The
two California Rose’s didn’t do too badly, but they were
definitely sweeter than the other Rose’s. The first and second
place wines were separated by a mere .12 of a point. How’s
that for close? Something that you may find interesting to
note, the first two wines were the cheapest, with the first place
wine being the absolute cheapest. You got to love it when that
happens!
Here are the results:
this tasting panel anyway. With the exception of the top three
wines in our tasting, the rest failed to impress any of the
tasting judges. I believe the typical comment from everyone
at the tasting was “This is the worst staff tasting we have ever
had.” Not exactly a ringing endorsement.
This blind tasting embodied everything that is conceptually
wrong with doing our tastings “Blind”, whereby we can’t see
the wine labels. Rose wines come in such a wide variety of
styles and flavors, especially since they are made with so many
different grape styles and concocted in almost as many
different ways. In this tasting, the meeker style Rose wines
got whipped by the dominant in your face styles. In many
cases, I believe some of the better food wines did poorly in the
head to head tasting because they were very neutral and
subtle, but that is the very thing that would be called for with
a delicate dish.
To help us along the way with our Rose tasting, we prepared a
variety of homemade picnic types of food. There was a greens
salad and a pasta salad, double-dipped fried chicken, tomato-
basil pesto, guacamole, shrimp cocktail & various other
appetizers. I believe the shrimp cocktail was a solid choice
with the Rose wines. The tangy cocktail sauce paired
brilliantly with the brash fruity flavors of the Rose wines.
Everything was delicious; in fact, I’d say that as a whole, the
food was far superior to the wines.
As for the wines, there were eight of them. Four from France
(the country considered to make the best in Rose wines), two
from California, one from Spain and one from South Africa.
Of the French Rose wines we tasted, one was corked and
therefore undrinkable and another one was way past its
prime. It was the oldest Rose in our tasting and it proves a
point I tried driving home on “The Wine of The Month”
page. You have to drink Rose wines no more than a year or
two at the latest from the current vintage year. You really
need to be careful about the vintage date when you buy the
wine. Rose wines just do not last that long. As for the other
two French Rose’s in our tasting, one considered to be one of
the best Rose wines made in the world, well, they got their
butts whipped by the Spaniard and the South African. The
two California Rose’s didn’t do too badly, but they were
definitely sweeter than the other Rose’s. The first and second
place wines were separated by a mere .12 of a point. How’s
that for close? Something that you may find interesting to
note, the first two wines were the cheapest, with the first place
wine being the absolute cheapest. You got to love it when that
happens!
Here are the results:
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| Marques de Caceres dry Rose 2004 – Rioja, Spain |
This wine has a very fruity nose full of
fresh picked strawberries that burst onto
your palate. Nice acidity gives it ample
ability to pair with food and despite the
aroma implying a sweet wine, it finishes
deceptively dry.
I have had this Rose many times and I
knew what it was right after the first sip.
It is a great Rose wine and serves notice
to all that Spain is a force to be reckon
with in the Rose wine market. The fact
that this wine is only $7.00 makes it an
unbelievable steal. A can’t miss wine.
fresh picked strawberries that burst onto
your palate. Nice acidity gives it ample
ability to pair with food and despite the
aroma implying a sweet wine, it finishes
deceptively dry.
I have had this Rose many times and I
knew what it was right after the first sip.
It is a great Rose wine and serves notice
to all that Spain is a force to be reckon
with in the Rose wine market. The fact
that this wine is only $7.00 makes it an
unbelievable steal. A can’t miss wine.
| Score - B |
| Price - $6.99 |
| Goats do Roam Rose 2004 – South Africa |
This rosy pink Rose is not shy at all about
showing its cards with huge strawberries
and red fruits bursting on the nose, a solid
mouth feel, unlike any of the others in the
tasting with just a little residual sweetness
on the finish.
This was my favorite, but I only rated it
one point higher than the Spanish Rose. I
had tasted this one earlier this year and
remembered being impressed with it then
too. This Rose is a little chunkier than
the others which could make it the best
BBQ wine of the bunch. See if you can
figure out which wine on our list the name
of this wine is making fun of.
showing its cards with huge strawberries
and red fruits bursting on the nose, a solid
mouth feel, unlike any of the others in the
tasting with just a little residual sweetness
on the finish.
This was my favorite, but I only rated it
one point higher than the Spanish Rose. I
had tasted this one earlier this year and
remembered being impressed with it then
too. This Rose is a little chunkier than
the others which could make it the best
BBQ wine of the bunch. See if you can
figure out which wine on our list the name
of this wine is making fun of.
| Score - B |
| Around - $10.00 |
| Iron Horse Risato di Sangiovese T Bar T Vineyard 2004 – Alexander Valley, Sonoma, California |
Wicked and wild watermelon, fruity
raspberry and peach flavors and aromas
abound in this sweet jolly rancher wine.
Although sweet upfront, it finished a touch
dry, just enough to keep you guessing.
I should point out that this wine is much
sweeter than the first two. If you were
buying this with food, thick tangy or spicy.
Those seem to be the flavor profiles that
would be ideal with this Rose.
raspberry and peach flavors and aromas
abound in this sweet jolly rancher wine.
Although sweet upfront, it finished a touch
dry, just enough to keep you guessing.
I should point out that this wine is much
sweeter than the first two. If you were
buying this with food, thick tangy or spicy.
Those seem to be the flavor profiles that
would be ideal with this Rose.
| Around - $12.00 |
| Score - B |
| Carol Shelton Rendezvous Rose 2004 – Mendocino County |
The onion skin colored Rose is somewhat
closed on the nose only revealing feint
plum aromas, slightly acidic, with a
cranberry taste.
Funny thing, I actually liked this better
than the Iron Horse. It had a longer finish
then most of the others, which to me
signifies quality. Given its price however,
I don’t know that I would necessarily
recommend it over the first two Rose
wines.
closed on the nose only revealing feint
plum aromas, slightly acidic, with a
cranberry taste.
Funny thing, I actually liked this better
than the Iron Horse. It had a longer finish
then most of the others, which to me
signifies quality. Given its price however,
I don’t know that I would necessarily
recommend it over the first two Rose
wines.
| About - $28.00 |
| Score - C+ |
| Domaine Amido – Les Amandines Tavel 2003 – Rhone, France |
This Rose offers up raspberry and other
red fruits both in the nose and the palate.
It finishes a little tart, but aside from that,
it appears to be somewhat neutral.
Of all the French wines, this one came the
closest in matching the intensity of the
Rose’s from the other regions. I guess
that would explain why it scored higher
than the other French Rose’s.
red fruits both in the nose and the palate.
It finishes a little tart, but aside from that,
it appears to be somewhat neutral.
Of all the French wines, this one came the
closest in matching the intensity of the
Rose’s from the other regions. I guess
that would explain why it scored higher
than the other French Rose’s.
| Score - C- |
| Price - $14.00 |
| Domaine Tempier Bandol 2003 – Provence, France |
This Rose has a golden onion skin color
that reveals feint apricots in the nose that
persist in the mouth along with dried
watermelon. Very neutral in its profile
and very dry.
Well, this wine proved my earlier point
that if a wine is too different, it will get
panned in these blind tastings. This
tasted nothing like any of the others.
Kermit Lynch, who imports this wine,
claims that it is the best Rose in the world.
Apparently our staff did not agree. I do
find some sophistication in this Rose; I
think it would be ideal with lighter seafood
dishes and caviar.
that reveals feint apricots in the nose that
persist in the mouth along with dried
watermelon. Very neutral in its profile
and very dry.
Well, this wine proved my earlier point
that if a wine is too different, it will get
panned in these blind tastings. This
tasted nothing like any of the others.
Kermit Lynch, who imports this wine,
claims that it is the best Rose in the world.
Apparently our staff did not agree. I do
find some sophistication in this Rose; I
think it would be ideal with lighter seafood
dishes and caviar.
| Score - C- |
| Price - $24.00 |
| E.Guigal Cotes du Rhone Rose 2002 – Rhone, France |
Right off the bat, you could tell that this
Rose with its orangish hue and caramel
scented nose that this wine was, alas, way
past its prime.
I flirted with just not assigning a score to
this wine since it really was barely
drinkable in its old age, but I figured, what
they heck. I do believe, mainly because I
am very familiar with E. Guigal, that in its
youth, it probably was quite excellent.
Rose with its orangish hue and caramel
scented nose that this wine was, alas, way
past its prime.
I flirted with just not assigning a score to
this wine since it really was barely
drinkable in its old age, but I figured, what
they heck. I do believe, mainly because I
am very familiar with E. Guigal, that in its
youth, it probably was quite excellent.
| Score - D+ |
| Price - $14.00 |
| Chateau de Parenchere Bordeaux Clairet 2003 – Bordeaux, France |
The moment we opened the bottle it
reeked of TCA brought on by a faulty
cork. This wine was absolutely
undrinkable. Too bad to, I was really kind
of interested in seeing what it tasting like.
Think about it, of all of the wine regions in
the world, could you imagine the snooty
Bordelaise making a Rose wine? And one
from Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot and
Cabernet Franc to boot!
reeked of TCA brought on by a faulty
cork. This wine was absolutely
undrinkable. Too bad to, I was really kind
of interested in seeing what it tasting like.
Think about it, of all of the wine regions in
the world, could you imagine the snooty
Bordelaise making a Rose wine? And one
from Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot and
Cabernet Franc to boot!
| Score - Not Rated |
| Price - $22.00 |
