La Dame Rousse Tavel Rosé Blend

Sh-t. I mean. This starts inconspicuous but becomes more energetic with each day open. Coiled acid and melting taffy. Aching red fruit; dripping, swirling mineral dust. Subtly sweet, then unexpectedly dry, with a powdery texture. Worthy parallel to eg bandol rose, but even more acid.

Woooo-eeeee do I love my Tavel. Bursting at the seams on the nose while cutting a figure on the palate, it’s like if a Betsey Johnson dress had an affair with a Chanel suit. So much strawberry and watermelon and white pepper on the nose with a hint of…okay something that almost makes me think of Hawaiian sweet bread oddly (but not unhappily) enough. With a hint of your friendly neighborhood potting soil. The palate is dry and sharp, with healthy acidity and a nice wet rock backbone, in addition to all the red fruited juicy goodness. The texture is lightweight satin, which is to say heavier than silk but not heavy as satin but with that smoothness. Omigod Tavel you guys. Get into it. It’s the wine for people who say they only drink red and also the wine for people who only drink white.

Star bright vibrant pink. A bit paler than I’m used to with Tavel. Medium full palate or ripe strawberry, earthy cherry, and stern mineral. Medium plus acidity. No tannins but a decidedly tannin-esque mouthfeel. Medium finish. 2020 was a superb growing season in southern France and this Tavel is a spectacular example of the effects of that vintage. Pale as it is, it still delivers that distinctly Tavel punch on the nose and palate that makes it an excellent wine for a wide range of foods. Take it to your Thanksgiving table for a stellar T-Day pairing. Drink now or hold through 2030 for a classic Tavel experience.

Another blockbuster Tavel from Morderée. The 2018 is as delicious as it gets and this is tasting better in 2020 than it did on arrival last year. I’d always attributed the unique zesty and pungent flavors in this wine with the tiny amounts of uniquely Tavel blending grapes... perhaps that remains true, but this wine is mostly Grenache 60%, with Cinsault/Syrah/Mourvèdre at 10% each, and Clairette/Bourboulenc at 5% each. Whatever the blend, they’ve nailed this one. Sadly, it’s quite pricey at over $30. Now if I could locate some LaFond in my area, we could crown a Tavel champion, but this one will be hard to beat.

Another terrific Tavel from a top Rhone producer. Limited availability in Texas. Approx 4-6 million bottles annually are produced by the entire Tavel AOC, which is less some single bottlings of Provence Rosé (e.g. Whispering Angel). 2018 is bit riper than our favorite 2014 release, but this could be due to the blend this year: 60% Grenache, 10% Cinsault, 10% Mourvedre, 10% Syrah, 5% Bourboulenc and 5% ClairetteABV 14.5% ABV, no oak used. Would be nice to try this producer's other two rosés. Red plum, bright cherry, white flowers, and garrigue.

This entry-level bottling showcases intense, deeply concentrated red berry, citrus fruit and floral qualities, with a firm mineral underpinning. A powerful pink wine, the 2018 can handle the richest, and most strongly seasoned food with ease. It will also age, if you can resist temptation. $25.00 (Josh Raynolds, Vinous, July 2019)

Tuesday night tastings going strong. I’m into this. It is so damn balanced and it changes and evolves n all that good stuff. Oh hell I’ll go WSET style:
Eye: clear medium salmon medium tears.
Nose: delicate intensity and smells like raspberries cranberries vanilla and some sort of green thing which is not a wset term but whatever it’s young
Tongue: dry, acid medium, alcohol medium plus? Checking...oh hell 14.5 so fuck yeah that’s big. Body is medium. Intensity of flavor medium and then you taste the things: peach Melba which is to say peach raspberry vanilla ice cream and then some stones n lavender. Finish medium plus I like it oodles.

Thank you global warming for this 14.5% rose. Very flavorful, low acid, peppery alcoholic heat. Not my style.

Winter rose

Fantastic! Complex and approachable at the same time, strawberry/red cherry, touch of salinity and minerality, citrus/graprefruit and lots of texture. Acidity is not high, but balance is superb.