This year it seems that there are more rosés available than ever. I hope I am right for this is a good thing. And, you can’t have too much of a good thing – especially when it comes to rosé. So here are some brief notes on more 2013 Rosés. All of these are from France. Later I will also have a few brief notes on more 2013 Rosés from other parts of the world. There are lots of rosés to choose from this year. I hope you are getting your share! If not, you might want to read my article FOR THE LOVE OF ROSÉS which speaks to the issue of why, when, and how to buy and drink rosés.

FRANCE

 

France is the world leader in producing rosés and there are many variations from many areas. And, the popularity of French Rosé increases each year as more and more are imported. These notes include some that are old favorites and others that are new to me. All in all it’s a very interesting group with some great values and a lot of terrific rosés.

Burgundy
The newest area in Burgundy, Marsannay, is producing some wonderful rosés. The Régis Bouvier Marsannay Rosé is consistently lovely. Here is another.

 

2013 Domaine Collotte Marsannay Rosé
With 12.5% alcohol and a light reddish pink color with a golden hue, this rosé has a gorgeous perfume of cherries and strawberries with a floral tinge. It is beautifully balanced and very harmonious with delicious very pure floral tinged fruit and is simply delicious – Outstanding.     $18.95     A Peter Weygandt Selection and Imported by Weygandt-Metzler, Unionville, PA

Beaujolais
I don’t ever recall tasting a Beaujolais Rosé so this is a first for me. It’s a good start.

 

2013 Pierre-Marie Chermette Les Griottes Beaujolais Rosé
With just 12% alcohol, this rosé has a pale pink color with a golden hue and a lovely floral perfume with hints of raspberry and cherry. Finesseful, bright, fresh, and very pure, the wine has delicious fruit with hints of cherry and citrus and has a lot of charm with great early appeal – Outstanding.     $14.95    Best Buy    Imported by Weygandt-Metzler, Unionville, PA

Bordeaux
I’ve had rosés from Bordeaux before, but nothing quite like this.

 

2013 Chateau Lamothe de Haux Bordeaux Clairet Rosé
Light red in color this rosé has a subtle fruity perfume that is faintly herbal. On the palate the wine does have some fruit, but it is also rather austere and even a bit tannic. This is not my style of rosé.    $13.95    Imported by Langdon Shiverick Inc., Los Angeles, CA

Corsica
Corsica is a historic island with very old vineyards that have undergone a renaissance. The rosés show a delicacy and finesse that is very appealing (To read more about Corsican wines including rosés click here).

 

2013 Domaine Compte Abbatucci Cuvée Faustine Rosé Vieilles Vignes Vin de France
Made from the Sciaccarellu grape, this rosé is pale salmon pink in color and has a lovely floral perfume with hints of cherry and citrus. Very pure and delicate, the wine caresses the palate with a subtle fruitiness and leaves a lingering impression of floral tinged fruit. This is a beautiful, unusual, and delicious rosé – Outstanding Plus.   $34    Imported By Kermit Lynch Wine Merchant, Berkeley, CA

2013 Domaine Compte Abbatucci Gris Imperial Rosé Vin de France
This rosé is made from the Sciaccarellu grape blended with 10% Barbarossa. It is very pale salmon pink in color with a delicate floral perfume showing hints of strawberry. With great finesse and style, the wine has lovely floral tinged fruit with just a kiss of spice and is rounded with a nice underlying crispness – Outstanding.    $27    Imported By Kermit Lynch Wine Merchant, Berkeley, CA

2013 Clos Canarelli Rosé Corse Figari
From the Southern tip of Corsica, this rose is 50% Sciaccarellu blended with 30% Niellucciu and 20% Grenache. It is very pale salmon pink in color and has a lovely floral perfume that is tinged with a bit of rosemary. The flavors show a lovely delicate floral tinged cherry fruit with faint hints of smokiness and citrus. Finesseful and crisp this is a delicious rosé – Outstanding.    $36     Imported By Kermit Lynch Wine Merchant, Berkeley, CA

Côtes du Rhone
The Côtes du Rhone produces many wonderful rosés including some of the very best values.

 

2013 Chateau d’Or et de Gueules Rosé Les Cimels Costières de Nimes
Made from mostly Cinsault and Mouvèdre with some Grenache and Syrah, this is a delicately styled rosé with 12.5% alcohol. The color is very pale orange pink with a golden hue and the wine has a subtle, faintly floral perfume. On the palate it is soft and round with beautiful balance and floral tinged fruit showing a very faint hint of peach. This is a finesseful rosé that is very easy to drink – Highly Recommended.    $15   Best Buy    Imported by Robert Kacher Selections, New York, NY

2013 Domaine de la Petite Cassagne Rosé Costières de Nimes
This is a consistently lovely rosé that is attractively priced. This 2013 is particularly finesseful. With a pale pink color showing a faint golden orange hue it has a lovely floral perfume with faint hints of cherry. Crisp and bright with citrus and cherry tinges the wine has lots of early charm but will also ages well for several years – Highly Recommended.    $11    Best Buy     Imported by Robert Kacher Selections, New York, NY

2013 Domaine Charvin Rosé Côtes du Rhone
Pale reddish pink in color with a golden hue this rosé has a lovely fruity perfume with hints of strawberry and cherry and faint citrus nuances. Loaded with fruit the wine is rounded and flavorful with a nice underlying crispness. It is particularly good with heartier food such as grilled meat – Highly Recommended Plus.    $16.95    A Peter Weygandt Selection and Imported by Weygandt-Metzler, Unionville, PA

2013 Alain Jaume et Fils Réserve Gran Veneur Rosé Côtes du Rhone
This family has been in the Rhone Valley for nearly 200 years. With a pale salmon pink color showing a golden hue, this rosé has a subtle floral perfume that is very faintly spicy and smoky. Elegant with a subdued fruitiness showing spice and smoke nuances, it is balanced and quite nice – Recommended Plus.    $16.95   Imported by Kysela Père et Fils, Ltd., Winchester, VA

2013 Domaine de la Mordorée Rosé Côtes du Rhone
Light reddish pink in color with a golden edge, this rosé has a nice cherry tinged perfume. It is full of fruit and made in a full throttle style with richness and depth. This is a rosé to drink with hearty foods – Highly Recommended.   $19.95   Imported by Kysela Père et Fils, Ltd.,  Winchester, VA

2013 Au Petit Bonheur Les Pallières Gigondas Rosé
Always a very elegant and finesseful rosé this 2013 is true to form. It has a pale salmon pink color and gorgeous perfume of melon and citrus with a faintly honeyed nuance. Crisp with faint hints of melon, citrus and peach accented by a faint spiciness the wine has lots of charm and youthful appeal, but will also keep for several years – Outstanding.    $22   Imported By Kermit Lynch Wine Merchant, Berkeley, CA

2013 Domaine Duseigneur Lirac Rosé
Pale pink in color with a golden orange hue this rosé has a nice floral tinged perfume with hints of melon and citrus. It has lovely floral tinged fruit and very nice balance with an underlying crispness – Highly Recommended Plus.   $14.95    Best Buy    Imported by Weygandt-Metzler, Unionville, PA

2013 Domaine de Fondrèche L’Instant Rosé Ventoux
This is always a rosé with a lot of style and finesse. This 2013 is typical. With 12% alcohol the wine has a very pale pink color with a lovely perfume showing floral nuances with hints of peach and fresh herbs. It is bright and crisp and very fresh and pure with hints of peach, citrus, and fresh herbs and has irresistible appeal – Highly Recommended Plus.    $15    Best Buy    Imported by Robert Kacher Selections, New York, NY

2013 Domaine de la Verrières Rosé Ventoux
Pale salmon pink in color this rosé has a lovely perfume with a hint of lime and floral spice nuances. It is crisp and very elegant with hints of peach and citrus and has a lot of early charm at an attractive price –  Highly Recommended Plus.     $15     Best Buy     Imported by Bayfield Importing Ltd, Manhassat, NY

2013 Yves Cuilleron Sybel Syrah Rosé Vin de France
From the esteemed producer of Condrieu comes this Syrah Rosé. It is light reddish orange in color with a golden edge and has a subtle floral perfume with hints of citrus and herbs. Crisp with nice fruit this is a nicely balanced and easy to drink rosé with early appeal – Highly Recommended.     $15.99     Imported by Neal Rosenthal Wine Merchant, New York, NY

Languedoc-Roussillon
There are many different rosés produced in the Languedoc-Roussillon which is the largest wine producing area in the world. More and more rosés are being imported from this area and there are some really good values.

 

2013 Chateau Ollieux Romanis Cuvée Classique Corbières Rosé
Pale salmon pink in color with a golden hue, this rosé has a very nice floral perfume with hints of peach and citrus. With lovely fruit showing hints of melon and peach with a tinge of citrus, the wine is supple and rounded and very appealing – Highly Recommended.     $14.95   Imported by Langdon Shiverick Inc., Los Angeles, CA

2013 Domaine de Malavieille Charmille Rosé Pays d’Oc
Located in a sub-district of the Côteaux du Languedoc, the history of this property dates back to Gallo-Roman times and its current ownership dates back 6 generations. Made with  50% Syrah, 25% Cinsault, 15% Mouvèdre, and 10% Grenache this is a flavorful fruit driven rosé. The color is        pale orange with pink hue and a golden edge. A lovely floral perfume also has hints of cherry and spice with a faint herbal undertone. Rounded and lush, the wine has loads of fruit and is balanced with a nice underlying crispness on the finish – Highly Recommended.   $15     Imported by Hand Picked Selections, Warrenton, VA

2013 Domaine De St Antoine Syrah Rosé Pays Du Gard
This is a consistently very fruity and beautifully balanced rosé that is also very attractively priced. This 2013 is very fruit forward with a lovely floral tinged perfume showing hints of cherry and watermelon. The flavors also show lots of fruit suggesting cherry and watermelon and the wine is very pure and flavorful with a nice underlying crispness – Outstanding.    $11    Best Buy    Imported by Robert Kacher Selections, New York, NY

Loire Valley
Known more for white wines than red or rosé, there are wonderful wines made here in all categories. And, based primarily on Cabernet Franc or Pinot Noir, some of France’s best rosés come from here.

 

2013 Plouzeau Rive Gauche Chinon Rosé
This rosé has 12.5% alcohol and a pale orange color with a lovely floral perfume showing a hint of orange zest. The wine has flavors that are suggestive of raspberry, cherry, and orange. Finesseful and bright yet with lots of fruit and flavor, this is a very stylistic and delicious rosé and a very good value – $14.95    Best Buy   Imported by Weygandt-Metzler, Unionville, PA

2013 Pascal et Nicolas Reverdy Sancerre Rosé Terre de Maimbray
With 12% alcohol this rosé has a pale salmon pink color with a golden hue and gorgeous perfume with hints of cherries and faint floral citrus nuances. With great balance and lovely cherry tinged fruit with a subtle floral note, it is bright, pure, and utterly compelling and delicious – Outstanding Plus.   $21.95   Imported by Weygandt-Metzler, Unionville, PA

2013 Paul Thomas Sancerre Rosé Chavignol
Pale orange in color with a golden hue, this rosé has a lovely perfume with hints of cherry fruit and citrus. Balanced and very pure the wine has a lovely flavor with cherry and citrus nuances and a nice underlying crispness – Outstanding.   $19.95   Imported by Langdon Shiverick, Los Angeles, CA

2013 Domaine des Corbillières Touraine Rosé
This Pinot Noir Rosé is consistently lovely and it will keep and evolve over many years. It is also a very good value and one to buy and drink over a period of years. This 2013 is particularly finesseful. With a pale pink color showing a golden hue it has a lovely floral citrus tinged perfume with hints of berry fruit. With very pure, yet restrained, fruit this rosé has a lovely crispness and a balanced crispness – Highly Recommended Plus.    $15    Best Buy    Imported by Robert Kacher Selections, New York, NY

Provence
When it comes to rosé there is nothing quite like rosés from Provence. They are really special and Bandol, in particular, makes consistently great rosé. Many of the best rosés from Provence are not imported here or imported in very small quantities (to read my article THREE CRU CLASSÉ LADIES OF THE COTES DE PROVENCE click here). Hopefully we will be seeing more different Provence rosés as time goes on. One thing is for certain, the quantity of Provence Rosé sold here is steadily increasing and for good reason. Provence rosés are very special.

2013 La Bastide Blanche Bandol Rosé
This is a really lovely Bandol Rosé at an attractive price. It has a very pale orange color with an orange hue and a nice faintly floral perfume tinged with citrus. Delicate and finesseful, the wine has lovely supple fruit with floral citrus notes and a bright underlying crispness – Outstanding.    $19.95    Best Buy    Imported by Weygandt-Metzler, Unionville, PA

2013 Chateau Des Baumelles Bandol Rosé
Pale salmon pink in color with a golden edge this rosé has a lovely perfume with hints of peach and floral citrus nuances. It is balanced and finesseful with lovely fruit showing hints of peach and citrus with a faint hint of spice.  With a nice underlying crispness this is a very harmonious wine with irresistible early appeal – Outstanding.     $21     Best Buy    Imported by Weygandt-Metzler, Unionville, PA

2013 Domaine Du Gros’ Noré Bandol Rosé
The vineyards at this domaine are located only a few hundred yards from those of Domaine Tempier. The wine is made from 40% Mouvèdre, 40% Cinsault, and 20% Grenache. Pale salmon pink in color with a golden hue it has a lovely floral spice perfume with hints of peach. Crisp and very pure with floral notes and hints of peach this is a rosé that is enjoyable now, but will also benefit from some age – Outstanding.     $32    Imported By Kermit Lynch Wine Merchant, Berkeley, CA

2013 Domaine de la Tour du Bon
This wine is made from fruit grown on 40 year old vines. It is comprised of 35% Grenache, 30% Cinsault, 25% Mouvèdre, and 10% Clairette. With a very light salmon pink color showing an orange hue, this rosé has a lovely floral perfume with hints of apricot and almond. Soft, supple, and rounded it has gorgeous fruit hinting of peach, apricot, and citrus with a floral undertone. Balanced with great early appeal this wine will, nonetheless, keep for many years – Outstanding Plus.     $30    Imported By Kermit Lynch Wine Merchant, Berkeley, CA

2013 Chateau de Pibarnon Bandol Rosé
Very pale orange color with golden hue this rosé has a lovely floral perfume with hints of citrus and apricot and just a tinge of smokiness. Supple and rounded with a nice underlying crispness it has very pure fruit flavors hinting of peach and citrus and is beautifully balanced. Appealing now it will also keep for many years – Outstanding Plus.    $28    Imported by Michael Skurnik Wines, Syosset, N.Y.

2013 Chateau Pradeaux Bandol Rosé
With 12.5% alcohol this is a lovely and finesseful rosé that is delicious now and will keep for several years. Pale salmon pink in color with a golden edge it has a gorgeous perfume with hints of peach and a faint exotic nuance. With lots of floral tinged fruit the wine is balanced with a nice underlying crispness – Outstanding.    $26    Imported by Neal Rosenthal Wine Merchant, New York, NY

2013 Domaine Tempier Bandol Rosé
Year in and year out this is one of the best and most delicious rosés. And, as good as it is now it will evolve and develop over many years. Made with 50% Mouvèdre, 28% Grenache, 20% Cinsault, and 2% Carignane, the wine has a very light salmon pink color with an orange hue and a great floral perfume with hints of fresh herbs, citrus, and spice. Packed with fruit accented by floral spice nuances, this rosé is rich and flavorful yet also very crisp and bright – Exceptional.    $40    Imported By Kermit Lynch Wine Merchant, Berkeley, CA

2013 Domaine Terrebrune Terrace du Trias Bandol Rosé
Pale salmon pink in color this rosé is made from 50% Mouvèdre, 25% Grenache, and 25% Cinsault. It has a lovely floral perfume with hints of peach and citrus with a faint spice nuance. Flavorful with hints of peach and melon and beautifully balanced with a nice underlying citrus tinged crispness this is a gorgeous rosé that will keep for many years – Outstanding Plus.    $32    Imported By Kermit Lynch Wine Merchant, Berkeley, CA

2013 Château L’Afrique Rosé Côtes de Provence
This is a lovely elegant rosé made from 50% Grenache, 30% Cinsault, 10% Syrah, and 10% Tibouren and has12.5% alcohol. It has a very pale salmon pink color with a golden hue and shows a floral perfume with hints of citrus and spice. Beautifully balanced and bright with subtle hints of peach and citrus, this is a beautifully crafted rosé – Highly Recommended Plus   $19    Imported By Cru Wines LLC, Los Angeles, CA

2013 Domaine De La Fouquette Cuvée Rosée D’Aurore Côtes de Provence
Made with 60% Grenache, 30% Cinsault, and 5% Rolle, this is a delicately styled rosé with 12% alcohol. Pale pink in color with a golden hue it has a nice citrus perfume with very faint hints of spice and smoke. Fresh and bright the wine has a nicely balanced crispness and flavors with floral spice nuances – Highly Recommended.    $16     Jeff Welbourn Selections and  Imported by Wine Agencies Inc., Van Nuys, CA

2013 Minuty Rosé M de Minuty Côtes de Provence
Is a restrained an elegant rosé with a very pale salmon pink color and faint floral perfume with just a trace of spice. Delicate with subtle flavors of melon and citrus this wine is best with lighter foods –  Highly Recommended.    $17.95    Imported by Chateau & Estates Wine Company, Napa, CA

2013 Selection Ott Les Domaniers Rosé Côtes de Provence
A finesseful rosé, this wine has a faint floral perfume hinting of citrus and a delicate flavor with subtle citrus and melon nuances. It is light with a nice crispness and is best with very light and delicate foods – Recommended Plus.    $17.95   Imported by Maisons Marques & Domaines USA, Oakland, CA

2013 Domaine Sainte Lucie MIP Classic Rosé Côtes de Provence
This is a gorgeous rosé with an alcohol content of 12.5%. It has a very pale pink color with a golden hue and a stunning floral perfume with hints of citrus and spice. With a great harmonious style, the flavors are expressive showing tinges of melon, citrus, and spice and the wine is beautifully balanced and very easy to drink – Outstanding.    $17.95    Best Buy   Imported by Savio Soares Selections, Brooklyn, NY

2013 Chateau Revelette Rosé Côtes de Provence
Pale orange pink in color this rosé has a very subdued floral perfume and is light and crisp with faint hints of citrus and apricot. Finesseful and light, this is best with delicate foods – Recommended Plus.    $15.95    Imported by Langdon Shiverick, Inc., Los Angeles, CA

2013 Domaine du Deffends Le Rosé d’une Nuit Varois en Provence
With a very pale salmon pink color this rosé has a lovely floral perfume with hints of peach and citrus. It is very pure, rounded and elegant showing subtle flavors of peach and citrus with a nice underlying crispness. This is a very stylistic rosé – Outstanding.    $19.95    Imported by APS Wines & Spirits, Oakland, CA

Tavel
Tavel is the only appellation in France that makes only rosé. The wines are made to certain standards and they are very consistent. Tavel Rosés are some of the darkest and most fruity of all rosés and stand up to all sorts of hardy food such as Barbeque. And they are capable of aging for quite a few years.

 

2013 Domaine de la Mordorée La Dame Rousse Tavel Rosé
Light reddish pink in color this rosé has a stunning perfume with floral cherry nuances. It has very pure fruit tinged with cherry and floral nuances and is supple and lush with great balance. This is a really delicious fruit forward rosé – Outstanding.    $25    Imported by Kysela Père et Fils Ltd, Winchester, VA

This is a small sampling of some of the 2013 French Rosés available. Use this as a general guide, but be adventuresome and try some French Rosés that are unknown to you. I think you will be pleasantly surprised, just as I am every year, at their quality and value.

And, to help you in your selections, especially look for wines which are imported by the following companies:

• Kermit Lynch Wine Merchant, Berkeley, CA
• Hand Picked Selections, Warrenton, VA
• Robert Kacher Selections, New York, NY
• Weygandt-Metzler, Unionville, PA
• Michael Skurnik Wines, Syosset, N.Y.
• Neal Rosenthal Wine Merchant New York, NY

These companies have long lasting relationships with the wines that they import and very high standards for quality and value. And, based on my experience, they consistently import some of the best French Rosés as well as a lot of other great French wines. Trust these wines and the opinions of those you know and respect. Your local wine merchant is also a good place to start. Don’t be intimidated by wine merchants who only sell wines by numbers. Ask for information about the kinds of wines you like and would like to try. And support the wine retailers who offer special pricing for you to come and taste the wines and make you own decisions. Over time you can find what you like and not be dependent on numbers that are meaningless (to read an article on this click here and to read about more 2013 rosés click here).  Cheers!