Ellipsis, Russian River Valley, Rose of Pinot Noir 2008 The color is in the range of cooked salmon and the nose has lost its expression of fruit. In the mouth the tanginess of raspberries is accompanied by a bit of creaminess. Given its evolution, it might be best to drink this up soon. Produced and [...]

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Carol Shelton, Mendocino County, Rendezvous Rose 2008 The nose is vibrantly fruity, evocative of fresh raspberries and herbs. In the mouth it is dry and fruity, with a little warmth.  The RS adds some weight, filling our the wine and amplifying the fruitiness. The organically grown grapes are all Carignane sourced from the Cox Vineyeard. [...]

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Chateau La Roque, Coteaux du Languedoc, Pic Saint Loup, Rose 2007 The nose is frankly rather stinky with notes of cheese and garlic. In the mouth it is lowish in acid and the fruit is evolving, while the alcohol is making itself known, jutting out above the rest of the components. This is disappointing, especially [...]

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Fort Ross, Sonoma Coast, Fort Ross Vineyard, Pinot Noir, Rose 2008 There are cherries and raspberries in the nose and the mouth is bone dry with a little warmth. P&B in Napa 14.2% purchased for $9.69 at Bottle Barn Fort Ross Vineyard

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Muscardini Cellars, Sonoma Valley, Monte Rosso Vineyards, Rosato di Sangiovese 2008 This is a zippy rose, a clean expression of Sangiovese’s cherry character with refreshing acidity – very nice. The wine was fermented and aged in neurtal French oak for 5 months. Proprietor and winemaker Michael Muscardini. Vinted and bottled in Kenwood 13.8% $22 at [...]

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Les Vignerons de Tavel, Tavel, Prestige des Lauzeraies 2007 Sweet cherry fruit marks the nose and carries over on the palate. The mouth is broad and weighty, the acidity low, the fruit flavors are compelling and the body is big – a nice Tavel. The grapes are 50% Grenache, 25% Cinsault and 25% Syrah harvested [...]

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Copain, Anderson Valley, ‘Tous Ensemble’, Rose 2008 This rose has developed a rather rustic character. With 12 hours the funkier smells have blown off. The fruit, however, is receding and the alcohol is showing more of itself, with a sense of astringency.
This is frankly surprising after tasting the delightful Tous Ensemble Viognier and Pinot, reviewed [...]

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Domaine de la Mordoree, Tavel, “La Dame Rousse” 2008 The freshness of strawberries are evident in the nose and in th mouth that theme is over a rather big and slightly warm structure. The grapes behind this pink wine are 60% Grenache, 20% Syrah, 10% Cinsault and 10% Clairette. The domaine has 40 hectares of [...]

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Fleury Estate Winery, Napa Valley, Rose 2008 This is a rose with no shortage of colour. The nose is clean, showing red fruits and perfume. In the mouth the wine is broad, a rather big-bodied rose with the flavor of cherries and a complement of acidity. Proprietors Claudia & Brian Fleury. Winemaker David McIntire. P&B [...]

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Bouvet-Ladubay, Brut, Rose, Excellence nv There’s a candied red fruit character in the nose while in the mouth, the wine is lean and acidic, perhaps a little green, with a bitter, pithy grip. The grapes are Cabernet Franc and are sourced from within and around Saumur. Vin Mousseux elabore a St-Hilaire-St-Florent in the Maine et [...]

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Robert Hall, Paso Robles, Hall Ranch, Rose de Robles 2008
Strawberries and floral notes are the predominant features in the nose – very clean and fresh. In the mouth the fruit shines again in a very dry format with a lingering touch of creaminess. Hand harvested Grenache 47%, Syrah 41%, Mourvedre 6% and Cinsault 6% [...]

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Mas de Gourgonnier, Les Baux de Provence, Rose 2008 The fruit is evolving away from freshness as this wine seems to be aging prematurely. The mouth is quite gripping – a disappointment. Bottled with a synthetic cork; perhaps the seal was less than adequate?  This estate is noteworthy for farming organically before many jumped on [...]

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Bedrock Wine Co., Sonoma Valley, Ode to Lulu, Rose of Mourvedre 2008 This is a broader style of rose reminiscent of the south of France with hints of brick to see a little added weight on the palate. The grapes for this wine came from vines planted in 1888. After crushing, the grapes were allowed [...]

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Quivira, Dry Creek Valley Wine Creek Ranch, Grenache, Rose 2008
In the nose the fruit is ever so fresh, featuring citrus and strawberries. In the mouth there’s plenty of acidity, a little phenolic grip and a sense of the alcohol in the background. The grapes were grown biodynamically and 12% of the blend is Mourvedre. Fermentation [...]

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South Coast, California, Grenache, Rose 2007
In the nose there is candy, flowers and the smell something citrus. The mouth is plump and amplified by a about 1% RS. This took the sweepstake award for pink wine at the Chronicle Wine Competition in January. Nice wine. The grape sourcing was split 50/50 between Lost Tierra [...]

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Carol Shelton, Mendocino County, Rendezvous Rose 2007 This wine is redolent of strawberries – just bountiful! In the mouth this rose is truly dry yet with plenty of fruit it comes across as quite concentrated.  I bought a 6 pack of this a few months ago and I think it is showing the best of [...]

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Toad Hollow, Sonoma County, Eye of the Toad, Pinot Noir, Dry Rose 2007 Fresh, aromatic and fruity in the nose; plush and very fruity in the mouth. V&B in Sonoma 11.5% $7.99 at Bottle Barn Toad Hollow Cellars

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Mas Jullien, Coteaux du Languedoc, Rose 2007 The nose is clean and full of red fruits with brambles as well. In the mouth the red fruit shines and there is structure, reminding us that this was produced from black grapes, showing a light grip of tannin – good value. The property is planted to 25% [...]

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Domaine Bart, Marsannay, Rose 2007 The nose combines strawberries and minerality. The red fruits carry through in the mouth with a creamy texture and acidity for freshness. This is a nice example of the appellation and a fair price as rose wines keep going up in price and popularity. The wine is all Pinot Noir [...]

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Domaine Tempier, Bandol, Rose 2007 The nose is clean and full of candied fruit, like those watermelon candies you might have eaten when you were little. The feel in the mouth is thick and low acid, a rich and slightly warm style of rose. The wine is about half Mourvedre with the balance being Grenache, [...]

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Balletto, Russian River Valley, Estate Bottled, Pinot Noir 2007 There is candied cherry fruit in the nose and a creaminess to the mouthfeel. The fruit really comes through in the palate as well. 20% of the wine was fermented in neutral French oak and there’s a tad of RS at 5.5 g/l. P&B by [...]

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Lazy Creek, Anderson Valley, Rose of Pinot Noir 2007 This wine has the zippy acidity and vibrance of the rose from County Line with a depth of flavor, a density that fills out the wine on the palate – great in October ‘08. But in January ‘09 the alcohol and some volatility are starting to [...]

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Château du Ségriès, Tavel 2007 The ‘06 was a solid, fruity wine and the 07 repeats that performance. The nose is clean and full of red fruits. The mouth is full-bodied and a little warm. You also get a sense of red wine with a bit of grip on the palate. The grapes are 50% [...]

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Bastianich, Colli Orientali del Friuli, Tocai Friulano DOC 2006 Herbaceous with a sense of canned vegetables, lowish in acidity with a creamy character – disappointingly low in concentration. Estate bottled in Cividale del Fruili 13% $18.00 at Traverso’s
Bastianich, Venezia Giulia, Rosato, Refosco IGT 2007 Stewed cherries and moderate acidity; there’s a sense that this wine [...]

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Francis Blanchet, Pouilly-Fume, Cuvee Silice 2006 Corked, so who will ever know what to think about this wine.This is all stainless Sauvignon produced across the river from Sancerre. Silice is sourced from an old vine parcel, laden with silex, just up the river in Les Loges. Mis a la propriete a Le Bouchot in Pouilly-Sur-Loire [...]

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Mas de Gourgonnier, Les Baux de Provence, Rose 2007 The fresh fruit is evident in this low acid rose. This estate was farming organically before many jumped on board and all of the wines are today certified organic. The 2007 rose is about 60% Grenache with a medley of Syrah, Mourvedre, Cinsault and Cabernet [...]

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Red Rooster, Okanagan Valley VQA, Rose 2006 There’s the smell and taste of candied strawberries and a slippery viscous texture. The grapes behind the wine are 75% Pinot Noir and 25% Cabernet Sauvignon. Produced in Penticton 13% $15.99 Canadian for the new vintage at the winery. Full disclosure:  We still have one of the winery’s [...]

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This flight shows a nice contrast in approach to the making of pink sparkling in California. The Roederer embraces a high acid framework that is very crisp while the Mumm goes for a softer approach with a more visible hint of RS in the background. Different animals and I like them both.
Roederer Estate, Anderson Valley, [...]

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Tonight we taste 8 different bubblies on the pink side, from Spain, north to Burgundy and Champagne and finally back home to California.
Codorniu Cava Pinot Noir Brut nv
Earthy and coarse – a real disappointment. All Pinot Noir fermented in the bottle tasted, as in methode champenoise. Elaborador in Saint Sadurni d’Anoia in the Penedes 12% [...]

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Domaine de Fontsainte Corbieres Gris de Gris 2007
This has been a stellar rose with traditional complexity and suppleness. The ‘07 is very fresh, just full of strawberries, crisp yet filled out and far from lean. The grapes are 60% Grenache Gris and Noir, 15% Syarh, 10% Mourvedre, 10% Carignane and 5% Cinsault; no malolactic. Winemaker [...]

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