All Good Things Must Come To An End

As the saying goes “All Good Things Must Come To An End.” So this article represents my last article on the stunning 2018 Rosés (to read the earlier articles click here). I am very selective in the rosés  I choose to buy and to taste, but I always try new types of rosés as well.  Including the wines reviewed in this article, I have written and recommended close to 70 different 2018 rosés. And, since I only write about wines that I can recommend, the total 2018 rosés that I have tasted is probably closer to 90.  So in that sense my “tastings” have ended. But, there is also the saying that “Every End Is A New Beginning.” So this is only the transition from my tasting, drinking, and writing about 2018 Rosés to just drinking 2018 Rosés. I have purchased quantities of some 20 different 2018 Rosés which I will be drinking over the next several years (to read about aging rosés click here). And, of course, come Spring/Summer next year I will begin tasting and writing about the 2019 rosés. And, why not?  Over the many years that I have been buying rosés, in each year there has never been a year where there were not many delicious wines. And, in warm weather climates such as ours, Rosés are great to taste and drink all through the year. So be sure to take one last opportunity to buy some 2018 Rosés. However, do be careful about buying just any 2018 Rosé. This year I found many mediocre to outright poor ones mostly from lesser known areas and also from California where there have been a large number of rosés made to satisfy certain price points and marketing promotions. The popularity of Rosés has resulted in many late comers looking to capitalize on the trend and there are some that should be avoided. My best advice is to stick to rosés from well-known historical producers. And also nearly all rosés from France where there is an abundance of really delicious rosés made by producers with a long history of production. This is also true to a lesser extent for Italy and Spain as well as Austria and Germany. And, in particular, Germany where there are not a lot of rosés, but the quality of those rosés is very high (click here to read my article on German rosés).

Below is a list of more of my favorite 2018 Rosés from Austria and France. And make sure that you have a stock of really good 2018 Rosés on hand for the upcoming holidays and to drink into the New Year and beyond.

AUSTRIA
I don’t often see rosés from Austria, but those that I have tasted I have really liked. The Schlosskellerei Gobelsburg I  have consistently really liked in previous vintages. It is very special and very good value.

Outstanding Plus

 2018 Schlosskellerei Gobelsburg Cistercian Rosé
Pale pink in color with a golden hue the wine has a floral perfume with an exotic tinge and is elegant with lovely apricot tinged fruit showing a nice citrus tinge on the finish. This is a really lovely rosé that is beautifully balanced and very easy to drink – Outstanding Plus.   $15.99    Imported by Skurnik Wines  New York, NY.

 

FRANCE

Extraordinary

2018 Miraval Rosé Côtes de Provence
This rosé debuted several years ago and has rapidly become one of the biggest selling premium priced rosés in the US. I first tasted the wine in the 2013 vintage. Here is what I said then:
Miraval is a new rosé that first appeared as a 2012. It is a joint venture between the well known Hollywood couple Brad Pitt and Angela Jolie and Famille Perrin of Château de Beaucastel from grapes grown on the estate the couple owns in the Côtes de Provence. As might be expected, the 2012 was met with a deluge of enthusiasm with some hyping it to the point of calling it the greatest rosé in the world!  Well, after all, that’s Hollywood!!
The first few vintages were really nice, but since then the wine has shown consistent improvement and it is available in wide distribution. I think this 2018 is the best yet. Don’t miss it.

Pink in color with a golden hue the wine has a gorgeous floral perfume with hints of yellow peach and a faint kiss of spice. With great fruit showing yellow peach with an exotic floral nuance this rosé is flavorful with great balance and an absolute pleasure to drink – $19.99      Imported by Vineyard Brands     Birmingham, Alabama

As I have said many times France makes more outstanding rosés than any other place in the world. Listed below are many examples.

Outstanding Plus

2018 Chateâu de Pampelone Côtes de Provence
Made with 40% Grenache, 30% Cinsault, 20% Syrah, and 10% Tibouren, this pale colored rosé has a gorgeous perfume and is elegant and beautifully balanced with great fruit and flavor – Outstanding Plus.     $17.99    Jeff Welburn Selections  Imported by Wine Agencies Inc.  Van Nuys, CA

2018 Chateâu de Pibarnon Bandol
Consistently an outstanding Bandol Rosé this 2018 is no exception. Made with 65% Mourvedre and 35% Cinsault it has a great floral perfume with hints of apricot and a kiss of spice. Full, rich and flavorful while maintaining elegance the wine is delicious, loaded with fruit, and a pleasure to drink – Outstanding Plus.   Imported by North Berkeley Wine   Berkeley, CA    $32.99

2018 Chateâu de Rouët Cuvée Réservée Tradition Côtes de Provence
This wine is consistently outstanding and excellent value. This is 2018 is true to form. It has a gorgeous exotic tinged floral perfume and beautifully balanced with lots of fruit and flavor – Outstanding Plus.    $13     Best Buy    Imported by Skurnik Wines New York, NY

2018 Chateâu La Roque Pic Saint-Loup
This wine has one of the lightest colors I have ever seen in a rosé but is also one of the most finesseful and elegant without sacrificing fruit or flavor – Outstanding Plus.     $19.99         Imported by Kermit Lynch Wine Merchant  Berkeley, CA

2018 Cherrier Pere et Fils Sancerre Rosé Loire Valley
Sancerre Rosés are always some of my favorite rosés. I love the combination of fruit and bright crispness. This one from Cherrier Pere et Fils is consistently outstanding.  The 2018  has lovely floral tinged fruit and is elegant and finesseful with balanced citrus tinged crispness on the finish – Outstanding Plus.       $17.99     Imported by North Berkeley Wine   Berkeley, CA

2018 Domaine des Corbillieres Touraine Rosé Loire Valley
Touraine is an area around the city of Tours in the Loire Valley. White and red wines are made here as well as a small amount of rosé which can be made with several varieties of grapes. This is a very nice example of this relatively unknown rosé. It has lovely cherry tinged fruit which is very evident in the nose and on the palate. There is a nice underlying crispness as well and the wine is very well balanced and very easy to drink – Outstanding Plus.
$14.95     Imported by Wine House Limited   San Francisco, CA

2018 Domaine du Dragon Grande Cuvée  Côtes de Provence
This rosé has a very pale color and a nice floral perfume with a faint citrus nuance. It is delicate and finesseful with lovely peach tinged fruit with a floral undertone. With elegance and charm, this is a really lovely rosé – Outstanding Plus.   $16    Imported by North Berkeley Wine    Berkeley, CA

2018  Domaine de Noiré Chinon Rosé Loire Valley
This rosé has a pale color with a great cherry and raspberry perfume and is very expressive and fruity on the palate again with cherry and raspberry fruit. Showing a nice underlying crispness this is a delicious rosé – Outstanding Plus.      $23       Imported by North Berkeley Wine   Berkeley, CA

2018 Alain Girard et Fils Sancerre Rosé
This is a lovely rosé with a light color and lots of cherry tinged fruit. It has a lovely perfume and is bright and crisp on the palate. This is a delicious rosé with lots of early appeal – Outstanding Plus.     $24      Imported by USA Wine Imports Inc.  New York, NY

Outstanding

2018 Catherine et Pierre Breton Bourgueil Rosé “La Ritournelle”
Very pale in color this rosé has a lovely strawberry perfume and is elegant and finesseful with lots of fruit and a nice underlying crispness – Outstanding.    $22    Imported by Kermit Lynch Wine Merchant    Berkeley, CA

2018 Clos Ste Magdeleine Côtes de Provence Rosé
Pale in color with a lovely floral perfume this is a delicate yet flavorful rosé with very pure floral tinged fruit and a crisp finish – Outstanding.    $26    Imported by Kermit Lynch Wine Merchant    Berkeley, CA

2018 Domaine Des Aspras Les Trois Frères Côtes de Provence Rosé
Made with Grenache and Cinsault the rosé has a very pale color and a lovely peach tinged perfume with delicate peach tinged flavors showing a hint of citrus. Balanced and very tasty this is a lovely rosé – Outstanding.     $17.99  Imported by Wine House Limited  San Francisco, CA

2018 Domaine De Marquiliani Gris de Marquiliani
This rosé has a pale color and lovely floral perfume. It is elegant with lovely fruit and flavor and is balanced by a nice underlying crispness – Outstanding.     $26.99    Imported by Kermit Lynch Wine Merchant    Berkeley, CA

2018 Domaine du Cagueloup Bandol Rosé
I love Bandol Rosés and this is a new one for me. Made with mouvèdre and grenache this Bandol Rosé has a very pale color and an enticing floral perfume with a faint tinge of strawberry. It is a Bandol with great elegance and finesse but is not lacking in flavor. Floral nuances interplay with subtle berry fruit and the wine has a lovely balance with a nice crispness – Outstanding.    $25.99   Imported by AP Wine Imports    New York, NY

2018 Gérard Bertrand Côte de Roses Languedoc Rosé
Pale in color this rosé is made with Grenache, Syrah, and Cinsault. It has a lovely floral perfume and has lots of fruit and finesse with a floral undertone and a citrus tinged finish. And as an added bonus it comes in a gorgeous bottle and is very reasonably priced – Outstanding.     $11.99    Best Buy    Imported by USA Wine West LLC   Sausalito, CA

2018 Henri Gaillard Côtes de Provence Rosé
With a very pale color, this rosé has a lovely floral citrus perfume with a faint exotic tinge. On the palate, it is beautifully balance d with crisp bright fruit showing hints of strawberry with a citrus tinged finish – Outstanding.     $13.99    Imported by Advantage International Distributors Inc   Miami, Florida      

2018 La Galope Côtes de Provence Rosé
With a somewhat unusual name, I don’t ever remember tasting this rosé. It is very pale in color and has a gorgeous perfume with hints of melon showing a very faint exotic nuance. With lovely fruit showing hints of melon and peach, it is balanced and elegant yet flavorful – Outstanding.    $12.99    Imported by Bridge Imports   Huntington, NY

2018 Maitres Vignerons De La Prequ’Ile De Saint-Tropez Côtes de Provence Rosé
Made with 50% Cinsault and 50% Grenache this rosé has a very pale color and a lovely faintly exotic floral perfume. It is beautifully balanced with subtle hints of peach with an exotic nuance and a citrus tinged finish – Outstanding   $14.99     Jeff Welburn Selection   Imported by Wine Agencies Inc  Van Nuys, CA

2018 Mas de Gourgonnier Les Baux de Provence Rosé
Very pale in color this rosé has a lovely perfume with faint hints of peach and apricot. It is beautifully balanced, lush and fruity, and again showing subtle peach and apricot nuances with a nice underlying crispness – Outstanding.   $17.99    Imported by North Berkeley Wine   Berkeley, CA

2018 Triennes Méditerranée Rosé
This rosé is the creation of Albert de Villaine of Domaine de la Romanee Conti and Jacques Seysses of Domaine Dujac. It is a consistently lovely rosé.  Pale in color with a nice floral perfume it is elegant and finesseful with lovely delicate fruit flavors accented by a nice underlying crispness – Outstanding.      $15.75     Imported by The Sorting Table LLC  Napa, CA

2018 Vignobles & Compagnis Rèserve des Chastelles Tavel
WOW! In alphabetical order, it just so happens that this is the biggest bargain of all the 2018 rosés that I have tasted. From Tavel in the Rhône Valley (which only makes rosé) this wine is absolutely brimming with fruit. It has a light color and a lovely red fruit perfume with hints of cherry, raspberry, and watermelon. On the palate, it is again intensely fruity with a kaleidoscope of red fruit flavors. Balanced with a nice underlying crispness this Tavel is just plain delicious – Outstanding.      $8.99     Best Buy    Available exclusively at Trader Joe’s and Imported by  Plume Ridge   Claremont, CA

  

 Rosé Articles Explaining Why Every Wine Lover Should Be Drinking Rosés

FOR THE LOVE OF ROSÉ
(Why, When, And how to buy and drink them)

ROSÉ – IT’S TIME HAS COME

ROSÉ IS THE PERFECT ANTI-WINE

WHO SAYS FRENCH ROSÉS DON’T AGE?

WHEN TO TASTE, DRINK & ENJOY YOUNG WINES & WHAT ABOUT ROSÉ?