One of my best wine experiences ever was when I was on a train from Monte Carlo to Cannes. The Dutch backpacker friend of mine opened a bottle of top notch Tavel rosé he had purchased at a Monaco supermarket just before departure. It tasted cool, superbly zesty and tasty with the cheese and bread. As an 18 year old I’ll never forget that wine.
Hugh Johnson once said that one of the best wines he ever had was a Rosé and he was sad that the experience with the same wine can not be repeated as roses don’t age well.
Earlier this week, Adair brought a sensational Rosé to lunch, the best I had since that train ride 2 decades ago.
Grapes picked from Bass Phillip’s South Gippsland vineyards in Victoria. The Pinot Noir grapes were fermented in French oak. This is the “Reserve†bottling so it spent longer in cask on lees than the standard Pinot Rosé. Bottled after 9 months ageing. Alcohol is at 12% vol. It’s a serious and good wine, priced accordingly at AU $65 cellar door.
Colour deeper pink than in any standard rosé you’ll ever see. Remarkable intensity of fruit on the palate. Medium bodied, multi layered fruit that is delicious and long. Exceptional balance and aftertaste. Cool tasting, intense and a class above. Superb, really, the more you drink, the better it gets. Some of you may find the price shockingly expensive but please understand it is as good as the best Tavel Rosés from the south of France. Try one of these because it’s a fantastic experience.
You may wonder why I didnÂ’t mention anything about the nose or the aromatics of this wine. It is because it had been opened for 24 hours when I drunk this. According to Adair, who drunk it fresh on opening as well, it smelled great. I certainly hope heÂ’ll be quick to supply his notes below.
Cheers,
Attila
Tasted: January 2006
) to any other rosé I had tasted previously, and I subsequently judged it more like a Pinot Noir than against the many unexciting rosés (for my palate) that I have tasted previously.
