As the trend goes, because I love pink and style, I’ve decided to treat my favourite wine tasters with some of the top actual rosé.

First the selection, how to pick 10 rosés on the market?  Not to say that I tried a hundred, the delicious “LE PLAISIR Rosé” from Mas Amiel for instance, didn’t make it to the Indian Restaurant neither the good pink beaujolais but the summer has not started yet . While waiting, I received some of the top of Provence and hanged around wine shops for a few good looking bottles.

It is common to say that the style of the bottle often hides the bad quality of the wine… So in black they were all dressed at the Pink dinner this late April. Summer was in the air and we walked to a delightful pink Indian restaurant were you can bring your own bottle. A perfect setting for the tasting:

Spice and Rosé can make it up but before the spicy food could reach the table, we all had a sip. And here is what we remember :

Château Ferry Lacombe: Cascaï Rosé 2009 : (60% Grenache, 20% Cinsault, 20% Syrah).
With no doubt, the crush for most of us, a mouthful of elegance, it is aromatic and has a long finish. The colour is light orange pink.. very surprising. Reading about it, it says that the setting is stunning and I can’t wait to reach Aix-en-Provence to visit the Château. What about the bottle style?

Château d’Ollières – Cuvée Prestige 2009: 
(60% Grenache, 20% Cinsault, 20% Syrah). A very delicate and elegant rosé. It is harder to be softer on the palate and more subtil. The bottle is as elegant as the wine and will make you want to try the two other rosés of the château.

Top of the top at Ollières is the Clos de L’Autin. Stronger in taste than its brother “Cuvée Prestige”, it has a more complexe grape blend and is aged four month in oak barrels.  So much that it will easily be mistaken for a white wine!

At Ollières, they care about esthetism from the vines, to the soils until the bottle. Charles Rouy started in 2000 and didn’t loose a sip of time. It would be too bad to stop at its rosé selection… The white and reds are also very impressive. Hopefully you’ll get to taste them with me soon! While waiting, you can buy a few bottles here, with Les Mois du Vin.

Château Minuty- rose et or 2009 
(95% Grenache, 5% Syrah). A very elegant and original bottle (Burgundy shape with a slip top) for an elegant juice. Refine balance of minerality and fruit, long finish, mouth envelopping texture, light pink color. You can’t be disappointed, and you can be trendy !

For all of these rosés I will remember the silkness, subtility and minerality. Their texture will make them perfectly suited for a summer lunch or dinner. I was not surprise they had been selected by my guests : these wine makers take their grapes very seriously !

Planning a good summer dinner? They could all be in for their texture that can stand on a grill fish, a mixed salad or even lightly spiced food. You’ll  find them very different from the candy stawberry-like ones you may have tasted elsewhere. Careful … Their top quality and uniqueness could make your guest blink when you bring the bottle.

Maison Rouge, Rosé from the Rhône
To counterbalance the richness and delicatecy of this rosé,  I’ve also added up the Maison Rouges from the Rhône that I had find with Les Mois du Vin. We love its refreshing bright electric color and its fruity and light palate. It brought up a final colourful touch to the Vicky Fashion Tasting!

Unfortunately, these wines are around 10 euros retail price (up to 20 euros for Château Minuty) : you have to put the price for quality, sometimes.

In France, the Vicky Selection is available on Les Mois Du Vin
 

Cheers !