Domaine Houchart Cotes de Provence Rosé 2010

i was fortunate to try a rosé that was to my liking at my local wine store. this one sells for the nice price of $11 and is sourced from 5 different grape varieties; grenache, cinsault, syrah, cabernet sauvignon and mourvedre. it has a beautiful salmon pink color and has a nose of citrus and spice. the palate is loaded with raspberry, strawberry and a little melon and finishes with mineral and pepper notes. good complexity that appeals to a red wine lover like myself. definitely works as a warm weather quencher but try it with asian food or that friday night pizza.

Chateau du Rouët Cotes de Provence Rosé 2010

a good rosé is always a difficult thing for me to find. it isn't a varietal that i am too crazy about so when i find one i like, i get pretty excited about it. i tried this french rosé at my local wine merchant recently and liked it well enough to purchase a bottle. it is a blend of 60% grenache and 40% syrah and maybe that had a great deal to do with why i liked it so much. the wine sells in the $10-12 range and has a nose of rose petals, red berries and a little dusty spice. the palate has lots of strawberry, some earthy herbal notes and some spice. the finish has some good floral notes. this should be slightly chilled, but not as much as you would a white. it needs a little more warmth to bring out some of the earthy floral flavors. good sipper on a warm day.

Keesha Rosé 2008

i am always searching for decent rosés' and i think i found one in this little $10 gem from california. it is a blend of mostly zinfandel, (which may be why it appealed to me), along with pinot noir, syrah, and petite sirah. the nose has some nice tropical notes as well as some floral aromas. the palate is a little bolder than many of the rosés' i have tried. lots of cranberry and a little bit of floral (rose petal). this is definitely dry and it has a nice finish. could be a nice food companion, but give it a try alone first. it was excellent as an after dinner glass!

Mulderbosch Cabernet Sauvignon Rosé 2009

the south africa wine tour continues with this rosé. mulderbosch is known primarily for their white wines, but don't let that stop you from trying this one. while i am not a big fan of rosé, i do find one every now and again that peaks my interest as this one did. the nose is very floral, with rose petals followed by red berries and some nice spice notes. the palate was strawberry and floral with the rose petals showing again. there was also some nice spice and a little earth in the finish. this sees no oak and is a real bargain for around $11-12. try with seafood, salad, veal, or turkey burgers.

L'Alycastre La Courtade Rosé 2009

i finally found a rosé that really impressed me. i had to go to new york to do it. thanks to the folks at zachys wine store for the suggestion on this one. slightly orange in color, this rosé is a blend of grenache, tibouren, and mouvedre in equal parts. the nose is very floral, with lavender and a little raspberry. i also got a little orange peel in the nose. the palate is more of the floral notes, with some almond and a little berry flavor. crisp and refreshing on the palate, this worked very well with boiled shrimp and greens and i would like to try it again with a grilled shrimp dish with a bit more spicing which it would work well with. sells for the nice price of about $13.

Sogrape Vinhos Gazela Rosé 2008

i have never been a big rosé lover but i think i found one that will work for me. this one comes from portugal and is really priced nice at about $7. with just a little effervescence, this can be a nice, refreshing warm weather deck wine. on the nose, strawberries and floral aromas with a little sweet candy smell. the palate was crisp and somewhat dry with flavors of strawberry, citrus and a little mineral note near the finish. i enjoyed this with baked fish and veggies. it would also work well with light summer meals like salads and also with dishes with some spice as well.

Ménage à Trois 2007 Rosé

back to the bargain bin and this under $10 rosé. just enjoyed this with a few friends and while i am not a big rosé drinker, i was pleasantly surprised with this one. it is an interesting blend of merlot, syrah and gewürztraminer. the nose was fresh red berries and floral notes of rose petals. the taste was strawberries, raspberries, some spicy plum notes and the floral rose petals as well. not overly dry as some rosés tend to be, this will make a perfect patio pounder for the coming warm weather. this could be a nice way for a white wine drinker to take the leap into red wines.

Meeker Pink Elephant #4

i'm not a big fan of rosé, and i get the chance to try them at least once a month at our local wine tasting, and until this one came along, i've never really wanted to buy one. we enjoyed this pool side with some friends and some pizza. meeker had a little earthy quality that i had not picked up in any other rosé. on the nose, floral notes along with red fruit, especially strawberry. on the palate, crisp with soft tannins, more strawberry, a little pepper, and the mineral/earth medium finish. and for the price of $12, a worthy buy for a summer quencher.