This Week’s Tasting
Wed May 27 5:00 - 7:00
Rose’s by Any Other Name

A collection this week of moderately priced roses including a Pinot Noir that calls itself red , but is pink at heart.

Friend of Cezanne and Zola , Aurelian Houchart founded the estate that bears his name 15 miles east of Aix in 1890. The Quiot family, his descendants, run the estate today. Their rose has been a staple here, Its classic Provençal Grenache, Cinsault, Syrah, and Cabernet grapes are viniified separately, and then blended to make a crisp wine reflecting the minerality of its clay and limestone soils. The 2008 stood out in our tastings for its character, liveliness, and value for the money.

The 2007 Alphonse Dolly Pinot Noir (Rose) comes from the Eric Louis estate to the southeast of Sancerre with land both in and just outside the appelation. It is hard to make the local Pinot Noir concentrated enough to be red, If this genre-bending wine is a too light to be a satisfying red, it is delightful served lightly chilled as a rose. Its crisp herbal minerality marries nicely with chicken or cold cuts.

Domaine de Cassagne lies south of the Cotes du Rhone on the Rhone’s Right Bank. Their 2007 Costieres de Nimes Rose is a Rhoneish blend of Cinsault, Grenache, Syrah, and Mourvedre. Rounded fullish, with a distinct strawberry cast, it is delightful either by itself or with white meats or fish. We have it at a great price, 9.99

Peter writes about the bigger-bodied wines:

Bodegas Muga, the very fine historic winery in Rioja Alta, is justly famous for its magnificent red wines. For hundreds of years, they have also made a wonderful dry rose. As in France and Italy, dry roses are a staple of summer meals in Spain. The blend of Garnacha, Viura, and Tempranillo grapes give the 2008 Muga Rosado tropical and ripe fruit complexity and a crisp acidity.
Castello di Ama produces what many consider to be the finest red wine in Tuscany. From their special Sangiovese grapes they make an elegant Rosato which costs a lot less than the red. The reason they do this is simple. The owners, Marco and Lorenza Pallanti, both love aromatic dry rose wine. The 2008 Castello di Ama Rosato continues that fine tradition. This is pretty serious stuff and is a wine for your best lunches and lighter dinners.
Alois Lageder produces his elegant range of northern Italian Alto Adige reds and whites with both organic and biodynamic farming. There is, in addition, this very fine and unique Rose. Native to the region, the Lagrein grape is known for its deep color, rich flavor and a balanced bitter take in the finish. Its rose rendition conveys the same in a much lighter style. The 2008 Lageder Lagrein Rosato is perhaps the best I have ever tasted. Try it with smoked fish and pates.

Rose

2008 Domaine Houchart Cotes de Provence Rose; Color: very pale clean light ,; Aroma: very pale very light clean, simple; Mouth: light fleshy dry somewhat fleshy light clean, pl;ump finish; Good Plus - Very Good 10.99; Mixed Case, 9.89; Case, 9.34

2007 Alphonse Dolly Pinot Noir; Color: very light orange-tinged black; Aroma: fleshy round pretty fruit, clean herbal, lightly fruity; Mouth: lean, very dry mineral, nice stoniness, clean long; Very Good 14.99; Mixed Case, 13.49; Case, 12.74

2007 Ch. Grande Cassagne Rose Costieres de Nimes; Color: bright strawberry; Aroma: fresh very intense juicy sweet strawberry ; Mouth: thickish round bright, straightforward, gently rounded fruit and intense; Very Good 9.95; Mixed Case, 8.96; Case, 8.46

2008 Muga Rosado: Salmon with bright pink highlights. Aromas of apple, quince, and pineapple. Rich fruit flavors with a crisp acidity and touch of spice. Dry finish. Very Good Plus 13.99/bottle 12.59/mixed case 11.89/case

2008 Castello di Ama Rosato: Vibrant dark pink rose. Aromas of cherry and papaya fruit with a touch of white pepper. Rich nuanced flavors asking to be paired with a really nice lunch or elegant picnic. Very Good Plus. 15.99/bottle 14.39/mixed case 13.59/case

2008 Alois Lageder Rosato: Bright pink with ruby hints. Red berry and violet aromas. Fresh and smooth fruit on the palate with a light pleasingly bitter twist in the dry finish. Very Good Plus 15.99/bottle 14.39/mixed case 13.59/case

5-27 Rose Case: Two each of the above wines at a special price of $140