- Alexander Smith
Battle of the Rosés
School is out and the summer is here. North America and Europe are having great weather. What better than a good rosé to relax after work? With so many options on the market, I decided to take 5 popular choices to see which ones came out on top. I tried to vary the selection from all parts of the world. France, California, Oregon and even Italy!
Which rosés came out top?
1) Domaine Ott, Provence, France - Blend of 40% Cinsault, 40% Grenache, 14% Syrah, 6% Cab Sauvignon - elegant evening rosé, light raspberries, cooked strawberries, elegant long finish - 94 points.
2) Chateau Smith Haut Lafitte, Bordeaux, France - 60% Cab, 40% Merlot - perfectly balanced, more floral than fruity, stewed apple, raspberries, straight finish - 92 points
3) Elouan, Oregon, USA - 90% Pinot Noir, 10% Syrah , more delicate , slightly sweeter with notes of strawberries, lighter, finish is impressive. Well done - 90 points
4) Pratello, Chiaretto, Italy - 50% Groppello, 20% Marzemino, 10% Barbera, 10% Sangiovese - sweet, refreshing, candy pop, pool part wine. Fun fun fun - 89 points
5) Belle Glos Oeil de Perdrix, California, USA - 100% Pinot Noir , not enough fresh for a rose, more reddish but lacking the depth. Sour cherry a little raspberry and strawberry at the end, finish is ok but nothing special. This is more a foodie wine - 87 points
Overal, the quality of the rosés tried were excellent. I was really surprised by the Pratello. What a surprise, if you have not tried this Italian rosé then you need to try it! Chateau Ott is really the best rosé I have ever tried.
What are your favourite rosés?