Serious Rosé

Crouch End Cellars
Tasted Wednesday, May 22, 2024 by Joshvoulters with 152 views

Flight 1 - Provence (2 Notes)

  • 2021 Domaine Tempier Bandol Rosé 91 Points

    France, Provence, Bandol

    Really impressive depth and concentration, rounded and spicy on the nose with ripe peach, raspberry and yellow plum. Developing a smoky maturity. White peach, strawberry and raspberry palate - delicious and fruity, possibly a little rough on the finish. Quality, versatile stuff.

    Post a Comment / 3 people found this helpful, do you? Yes - No

  • 2021 Triennes Rosé 87 Points

    France, Provence, Mediterranée

    A tasty quaffer, probably a step up from your standard Provencal rosé and true to its style. Yellow peach, strawberry, some white pepper and vanilla. There's a touch of bitterness on the finish which I found brought a sense of welcome seriousness but really it's a drinker not a thinker.

    Post a Comment / Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No

Flight 2 - Pinot Noir (2 Notes)

  • 2019 Domaine Sylvain Pataille Marsannay Rosé Fleur de Pinot 92 Points

    France, Burgundy, Côte de Nuits, Marsannay Rosé

    Cloudy, rusty red. The nose just pops- crunchy red Pinot fruit, so purely Burgundian, mixing it with a balmy peach note. Super depth and angularity, it shifts in the glass and reveals a meaty farmyard depth alongside that pretty fruit. A properly serious, complex wine which has its own style.

    Post a Comment / Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No

  • 2020 Domaine François Cotat Sancerre Chavignol Rosé 87 Points

    France, Loire Valley, Upper Loire, Sancerre

    Bright, mineral, wild strawberry nose and sweet strawberry pavlova on the palate. Lots of body, a sense of fatness with an almost oily texture, with a prickle of heat on the finish. Quite a big wine with that body and residual sugar (and alcohol), not fitting the 'light and refreshing' or 'toothsome and savoury' rosé archetypes.

    Post a Comment / Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No

Flight 3 - Central/ South Italy (2 Notes)

  • 2017 I Vigneri di Salvo Foti Vinudilice 90 Points

    Italy, Sicily, Etna DOC

    Enjoyed this thanks to some particularly detailed info from a tasting companion - a field blend of 10 varieties, grown on the NW of Etna so falling outside the DOC. All varieties harvested and vinified simultaneously, grown at 1300m elevation - one of the highest in Europe. Biodynamic, indigenous yeast. A very dark red - looks like a saignee wine. Notes of raspberry and nectarine with a charming sense of rusticity and a sweet talcum powder note and some ashiness. Concentrated but not particularly broad or substantial on the palate, a touch chewy and dry - feels like it's a real gastronomic food wine.

    Post a Comment / Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No

  • 2022 Azienda Faraone Cerasuolo d'Abruzzo Le Vigne di Faraone 89 Points

    Italy, Abruzzi, Cerasuolo d'Abruzzo

    Nutty oxidative notes, some toffee, woody vetiver, roast garlic and parsley. Lots of savoury depth on the palate with a sweet and sour character, good acidity and presence on the finish

    Post a Comment / Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No

Flight 4 - A lonely Nebbiolo (1 Note)

  • 2022 Nervi-Conterno Il Rosato 88 Points

    Italy, Piedmont, Piemonte DOC

    On one hand this is a really good summer rosé- raspberry, strawberry and peach with good substance and depth. I'd happily drink this. Really bright and refreshing acidity. On the other hand, I'd never be able to tell where it's from or what grapes go into it - and given I thought the '21 had real recognisable Nebbiolo character, that's a missed opportunity. Nice wine though.

    Post a Comment / 2 people found this helpful, do you? Yes - No

Flight 5 - Greece (2 Notes)

  • 2013 Thymiopoulos Rosé de Xinomavro (Late Release) 94 Points

    Greece, Macedonia

    This has really blossomed since I last had a bottle, and I feel vindicated having bored everybody half to death about the cuvee. It's gained some herbal and caramelised complexity, a butteriness and a touch of oxidative nuttiness. That glossy mandarin fruit is present and correct, a savoury chew and skinsy textural grip while remaining flowing and clear. Mega stuff.

    Post a Comment / Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No

  • 2022 Iliana Malihin Liatiko Rosé 89 Points

    Greece, Crete, Rethymno

    A really solid effort and ticks a number of nerd boxes. It has notes of strawberries and cream with a woody, herbaceous character, while remaining dry and gastronomic on the palate.

    Post a Comment / 1 person found this helpful, do you? Yes - No

Flight 6 - Rioja (2 Notes)

  • 2012 Bodega Classica Rioja Hacienda López de Haro Gran Reserva Rosado 91 Points

    Spain, La Rioja, Rioja

    Really interesting to try back to back with a Tondonia GR '11 Rosado. By comparison, this is a bit more modern and focused, and felt significantly younger than the year's difference in vintage would suggest. It's oxidative and nutty but with lots of energy - a bit tight in fact. Vanilla, clove, cinnamon and sweet amalfi lemons round out the flavour profile- I'd probably give it 5 years before it starts getting really interesting. Blend of Grenache and Viura.

    Post a Comment / 2 people found this helpful, do you? Yes - No

  • 2011 R. López de Heredia Rioja Rosado Gran Reserva Viña Tondonia 93 Points

    Spain, La Rioja, La Rioja Alta, Rioja

    Broad, relaxed, expansive- I got flashes of wooden school gym apparatus, orange peel, milky coffee. Very open and I'm not sure there are hidden depths waiting to emerge - instead it's confident and louche on the palate, notes of sherry, orange and lemon sherbet. Quite a singular wine and, for me, totally deserving of its reputation.

    Post a Comment / 5 people found this helpful, do you? Yes - No

×
×