Rose Wine
 

Best Rosé Wine
– Drink Pink.

 

The Fifty Best Rosé Tasting of 2024

 

The Tasting:
The Fifty Best held a “blind” tasting of 15 recent release Rosé wines with eight members of our wine judging panel. The order of service was established beforehand by lottery. Strict tasting rules were applied. Each of the wines were poured into fresh glasses from new sealed bottles and served well chilled. Only ice water and crusty peasant bread were available to cleanse the palate.

The judges wrote down their impressions of each wine on score sheets. The scoring was based on a 5-point system, with 5 as the highest. Gold and Silver medals are awarded according to a set range of final point scores received from the judges. There were no Double Gold or Bronze medals awarded for this tasting. Medals are provided based entirely on merit and only to products judged worthy of such award.

The tasting notes that follow are summaries of the judges’ opinions, with all replicated commentary eliminated. The states and countries are identified for each brand. Clicking on the brands' names will link to their websites.



GOLD MEDAL WINNERS

Château La Mascaronne Rosé 2023
(Côtes de Provence, France)

Aroma: Strawberry, pomegranate, lemon, light citrus, honeysuckle, white flowers, celery, cut grass, mineral, fresh, bright, excellent.

Palate: Fresh strawberry, fresh raspberry, guava, apricot, banana, white grapefruit, almost lime, white flowers, rose petals, rose, minerality, earthy, minerality, wet stone.

Finish: Pink lemonade, lemon, citrus, minty, fresh, clean, refreshing, approachable, rewarding, elegant.

Gold Medal
Gold medal

Château La Mascaronne Rosé



Château de Saint-Martin
Eternelle Favorite Rosé 2023
(Côtes de Provence, France)

Aroma: Strawberry, raspberry, bright cranberry, cherry, rhubarb, peach, apricot, pink grapefruit, citrus, Juicy Fruit, cotton candy, white flowers, saline.

Palate: Strawberry, cherry, white cranberries, light rhubarb, yellow peach, apricot, watermelon, bright grapefruit, citrus, celery, mineral, stone.

Finish: Cotton candy, white grapefruit, mineral, crisp, refreshing, classic Provence rosé.

Gold Medal
Gold medal

Château de Saint-Martin Eternelle Favorite Rosé





Peltzer Family Cellars Syrah Rosé 2023
(Temecula Valley, CA)

Aroma: Cherry, sour cherry, black currant, strawberry, honeydew melon, blood orange, beets, wet soil, meaty, red meat, zinfandel, like a red wine, excellent.

Palate: Cherry, tart cherry, red currant, red plum, ripe raspberry, strawberry, rhubarb, crabapple, white peach, blood orange, smoky, big, great.

Finish: Cherry, strawberry, raw rhubarb, earthy, mineral, drinks like a red wine, lingering flavor, soft, mellow.

Gold Medal
Gold medal

Peltzer Family Cellars Syrah Rosé





Domaine de l’Olivette Rosé 2023
(Bandol, France)

Aroma: Strawberry, pomegranate, peach, white peach, pear, currant, watermelon, watermelon rind, subtle orange zest, celery, rose petals.

Palate: Strawberry, cherry note, peach, white peach, grapefruit, lemon, citrus, rose water, earth, mineral, wood, oak.

Finish: Strawberry, white peach, lemon, earth, stony, wet stone, big, crisp, clean & fresh.

Gold Medal
Gold medal

Domaine de l’Olivette Rosé 2023





Château La Négly
La Natice Rosé 2023
(Languedoc, France)

Aroma: Cherry, Fuji apple, white peach, apricot, melon, pink lemonade, rose petals, fresh white flower, floral, honeysuckle, clean, crisp.

Palate: Strawberry, pomegranate, sour cherry, black currant, lychee, pink grapefruit, lemon, citrus, honeysuckle, pink Necco Valentine hearts, mineral, wet stone, bold.

Finish: Grapefruit pith, subtle citrus, fresh & clean, big, rewarding.

Gold Medal
Gold medal

Château La Négly La Natice Rosé





Angels & Cowboys Rosé 2023
(Sonoma County, CA)

Aroma: Apple, lemon, citrus, honeysuckle, white flowers, rose petals, brie cheese, wet grass.

Palate: Lemon, lemon peel, grapefruit, citrus, citrus pith, peach, white peach, mineral, wet stone, big & bold.

Finish: Elegant lime, lemon, celery, raw meat, balanced, crisp, clean, refreshing, savory.

Gold Medal
Gold medal

Angels & Cowboys Rosé





South Coast Winery Merlot Rosé 2023
(Temecula Valley, CA)

Aroma: Strawberry, raspberry, red berry mix, cherry, peach, melon, citrus, cotton candy, rose petals, crisp, excellent.

Palate: Sweet cherry, cherry jam, sugared strawberry, black currant, cranapple, yellow peach, nectarine, melon, honey, honeysuckle, dessert, big.

Finish: Fresh strawberry, strawberry juice, cherry notes, peach, white peach, melon, earth.

Gold Medal
Gold medal

South Coast Winery Merlot Rosé





Château du Galoupet Rosé 2022
(Côtes de Provence, France)

Aroma:Strawberry, apricot, rhubarb, citrus, Cap’n Crunch Berries cereal, brioche, earth, musty, mineral, granite, crisp.

Palate: Cherry, strawberry, raspberry, white peach, melon, watermelon, pomelo, orange zest, bitter orange, pink grapefruit, lemon, citrus, bold.

Finish: Cranapple, white peach, citrus, celery, crisp, refreshing, big, pleasant.

Gold Medal
Gold medal

Château du Galoupet Rosé





Chacewater Rosé 2023
(Sierra Foothills, CA)

Aroma: Strawberry, cherry, nectarine, nectarine peel, pineapple, honeydew melon, orange peel, lime, mineral, wet stones.

Palate: Strawberry, raspberry, cherry, pomegranate, apricot, white peach, juicy watermelon, honeydew melon, lemon.

Finish: Strawberry, pomegranate juice, white peach, hint of pink grapefruit, floral, minty, clean, brite acidity, refreshing, pleasant.

Gold Medal
Gold medal

Chacewater Rosé





Maison Lorgeril Ô de Rosé 2023
(Languedoc, France)

Aroma: Strawberry, cherry, pear, grapefruit, citrus, rose petals. floral, crisp.

Palate: Cherry, berry, apricot, honeydew, Ruby Red grapefruit, lemon, lemon zest, citrus, red grape skin, cotton candy, slight oak, rich, refreshing.

Finish: Provençal, robust, delicious.

Gold Medal
Gold medal

Maison Lorgeril Ô de Rosé



SILVER MEDAL WINNERS

Maris Rosé 2023
(Languedoc, France)

Aroma: Cranapple, rhubarb, watermelon, peach, grapefruit, lemon, watermelon rind, floral, a touch earthy, wet stone.

Palate: Crabapple, strawberry, red plum, cherry, rhubarb, watermelon, white flowers, hint of minerality, mineral, wet stone, tangy, soft, delicate.

Finish: Cranberry, juicy plum, white flowers, mineral, crisp, soft, pleasant.

Silver Medal
Silver medal

Maris Rosé



South Coast Winery Grenache Noir Rosé 2023
(Temecula Valley, CA)

Aroma: Raspberry, strawberry, peach, kiwi, rhubarb, pink grapefruit, lemon, white flowers, fresh.

Palate: Raspberry, strawberry, cherry, black currants, apricot, peach, white peach, mint, mineral, acid. slightly sweet.

Finish: Pomegranate, peach popsicle, tart then sweet.

Silver Medal
Silver medal

South Coast Winery Grenache Noir Rosé



Aimé Roquesante Rosé 2023
(Côtes de Provence, France)

Aroma: Strawberry, raspberry, rhubarb, sour cherry, citrus, apricot, honeysuckle, rose petals, menthol, mineral, clean, crisp.

Palate: Strawberry, sour strawberry, pink grapefruit, grapefruit, lemon, citrus pith, citrus, subtle rose petals, white flowers, mineral, chalk, stone, crisp, refreshing.

Finish: Lingering berries, grapefruit, white citrus pith, citrus, mineral, balanced, mildly assertive, bright acidity, clean, fresh, delicate.

Silver Medal
Silver medal

Aimé Roquesante Rosé



Jean-Luc Colombo Cape Bleue Rosé 2023
(Méditeranée, France)

Aroma: Strawberry, raspberry, rhubarb, guava, peach, apricot, orange, grapefruit, melon, white flowers, green leaves.

Palate: Strawberry, cherry, Granny Smith apple, Mandarin orange, blood orange, lemon, citric, mineral, earth.

Finish: Lingering peach, black currant, rhubarb, citric, floral, juicy.

Silver Medal
Silver medal

Jean-Luc Colombo Cape Bleue Rosé



Âme du Vin Rosé 2023
(Côtes de Provence, France)

Aroma: Peach, white peach, cherry, plum, citrus, citrus pith, cotton candy, honeysuckle, white flowers, fresh flowers, bright.

Palate: Peach, nectarine, tempered apricot, honeydew, grapefruit, citrus, floral, minerals, pink, tart.

Finish: Citrus, pith, dusty, chalky, granite, stone, fresh & bright, soft, easy drinking.

Silver Medal
Silver medal

Âme du Vin Rosé

 

 

Rosé’s Popularity Presses On

Sales of rosé in the U.S. has rocketed since 2014. No longer a fad, rosé wine can now be considered a long-term trend – as consumers are choosing to drink rosé all year round. Fashions come and fashions go, but good wine remains, whatever color it is.

There are two main techniques for making rosé wines. The first is the Maceration technique, where red-skinned grapes are essentially produced like white wine. The grapes are crushed and the juice and skins are macerated (that is, kept in contact with each other) for a period long enough to extract the desired amount of color. The juice is then separated from the skins, and fermented like white wine, usually in stainless steel tanks. The second is the Saignée technique, where a portion of the pink juice is run off from the just-crushed red grapes after a short partial fermentation maceration to extract color and aroma (usually 12 to 24 hours). The juice is then separated from the skins, & fermented in tanks.

Rosé wines pair easily with a variety of foods. Structurally, rosé’s bracing acidity, lack of oak aging, and moderate alcohol are all very food-friendly traits. Acidity mirrors the tangy and pungent ingredients of spring and summer, while also highlighting their fresh flavors. Moderate alcoholic strength means that it won’t exacerbate spice or salt, and won’t overpower food. Rosé offers the best-of-both-worlds — it has white wine structure and red wine flavors, so it can be as light or intense as necessary depending on the food it’s being paired with.

 

 

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