wine review

[lagilman]

2008 Mulderbosch Cabernet Sauvignon rosé

This was rec'd to me by one of the guys at Best Cellars, during a discussion of my yearly search for The Perfect Summer Rosé. He was right -- unlike too many of the rosé I've tried so far this year, the Mulderbosch has the ideal combination of off-dry fruit and clean finish, with a hint of what I'd swear was cinnamon but Wine Spectator says was pepper. If so, it's white pepper. Mid-weight, so there's more here than just a patio quaffer, but light enough despite the 13.5% to be refreshing.

As a pre-dinner appertif served chilled, it did the job, especially for people with tired feet and a smidge too much sun. I'm pleased to say that it also held up to dinner (Australian lamb loin, with garlic-sauteed sugar-snap peas), where the cherry flavor came forward more noticeably.

The color is a salmon hue that makes me think this would go well with crab cakes or breaded flounder, too. I intend to find out. $11.

(oh, and dinner was nomlicious. Bones were gnawed)

EtA: speaking of wine, anyone who drinks wine, likes wine, is afraid of wine, should read this. You Are Always Right. Yes. What he says. Or, as I used to tell people when I was working the floor -- "the best wine is the wine you like the best."

Comments

[lizbetann]

Ooo, a Rosé Cab? How interesting. Cabs are low down on my list of favored red wines, but a rosé might be interesting.

Thanks for the tip!

[lagilman]

at $11, it's an easy one to try out, too. My goal this summer is to find as many under-$15 wines as possible worth recommending.

[fakefrenchie.livejournal.com]

Did you hear about the new rule that the European Commission tried to pass? Allowing rosé to be made by mixing red and white wine? Seriously. They tried to do this. But the growers in France, Italy and Spain banded together to veto this stupid rule.

[lagilman]

I saw. Was very much WTF oh no they didn't!

And, thankfully, they didn't. But really... what the HELL?

[fakefrenchie.livejournal.com]

I used to joke that rosé was made that way, even though I know how it is really made, because I don't like rosé. But when the EU tried to make my joke into reality, I was thinking to myself, "WTF?".

[lagilman]

I have Very Definite Preferences for rosé, which means that I don't like a lot of what's out there (too sweet, or too much with the bitter almond finish). This one, though, I think you might like. South African... probably not widely available where you are? [silly French]

[jon-chance.livejournal.com]

Can someone please send this article to my boss? He was just floored last night that I prefered one wine over another... I told him I will not agree with him all of the time (hell, not even half the time) but that's why he hired me, so together we all covered all the bases as it were. He said "I'm just trying to understand your palate" and I told him he's thinking too narrowly...

I have a bunch of under $15 wines for people to try, but I'm unsure how widely available they are.

[lagilman]

share!

(amusingly enough, I am now being followed on Twitter by a South African wine distributor. Wonder if they'll order books...)

[jon-chance.livejournal.com]

Well, for a nice white you can try the D'Arton (http://www.arton.fr/gb/index.php?page=_vin_haut_arton): $7.99 @ my store. Also Spanish whites like Naia ($9.99) and Con Class ($8.99) which are Verdejo based are not too acidic and have lovely fruit. Of course if you want more zip, there's the white Bordeaux blends like the Chateau Lamothe ($10.99) and the numerous New Zealand Sauv Blancs like Mud House, Villa Maria, Brancott, etc and all are under $15. One other nice white is a Chenin Blanc/Viognier blend from Pine Ridge ($10.99). We also have Viognier from Southern France (Michel Laurent) and Chile (Cono Sur) under $9.

We have a bunch of roses in, and I think you might like the Garnacha based Spanish ones since they have a little more heft than the Provence ones (Inurrieta, Borsao, Muga) and they're all under the $11 mark. Our Tavel of the moment is delish but $20, so :-p

Good reds in that range are numerous - there are CdR's like La Garrigue ($11.99) & Estezargues, Malbecs like the Goulart Classico ($7.99) and the Susana Balbo "Crios" ($12.99), a neat Italian Cab/Brachetto blend from Casabella called "Mont'Arquato" ($8.99), Portuguese wines like Altano ($6.99), dozens of Spanish Tempranillo and Garnacha based wines (too many to list, seriously), even an earthy German Pinot Noir called Latitiude 50 ($10.99)

If you're ever near B'Way and 204 come on by and I'll give you the tour.