Lambert, Patrick 2020 Chinon Rosé

(Arrives 4/11) This delightful Chinon Rosé comes from Patrick Lambert's 6 hectares of organic vines in Cravant, around the corner from his friend and mentor, Bernard Baudry. Hand harvested from 20-year-old Cabernet Franc vines on gravel and sandy clay soils over limestone. This is drinking beautifully now with a bit deeper berry fruit than the 2021 (August 2022) and will drink well through 2023. This is a fabulous value and highly recommended.(Note: Some bottles have naturally occuring tartrate crystals which disappear when chilled and have no effect on flavor)

Raffault, Olga 2020 Chinon Rosé

The Olga Raffault Chinon rosé has gotten better and better over the past few years, perhaps it's their move towards organic farming and the fine work of Sylvie Raffault and her husband Eric de la Vigerie. 100% Cabernet Franc, 10-hour maceration and slow wild-yeast fermentation. 2020 is "a sunny Rosé vintage, deep and aromatic, with fine acidity, sparkling with freshness." The wine is round and ripe and simply delicious, quite crisp and refreshing showing lovely bright pink color, hints of raspberry and strawberry fruit, ripe but dry and balanced on the palate with a bit of peach and red berries in the finish with bright saline acidity. "Particulièrement gouleyant" it says on the label and we couldn't agree more!

Guion 2019 Bourgueil Rosé

 (Arrives 7/26) Our review from July 2020: Of course we love the great Cabernet Franc rosés from the Loire and a special favorite of ours is the vibrant Bourgueil from Stéphane Guion in Benais. Organic since 1964, the estate produces superb wines on the limestone/clay soils, and this year's rosé is perhaps his best ever! The color is a lovely pale pink and the raspberry and red currant fruit is supple, complex and refreshing, remaining light but with lovely complex fruit, herbal notes and a particularly long and focused finish with firm acidity. It's an amazing value at $14.99, and will drink beautifully for many more years, case purchases are recommended!

Chevrot 2020 Bourgogne Rose 'Sakura"

(Wine arrives March 8th) This Pinot Noir rosé is a blend of the saignée from villages and 1er cru fruit in Maranges, a straight pressing of Hautes Côtes de Beaune fruit, and pellicular maceration of fruit from Hautes Côtes de Beaune. Pale pink, effusive on the nose with aromas of cherry blossom (of course), wild strawberry, cherry, and chalk. Palate is ripe, racy and juicy. Ripe stone fruit and savory herbal notes lend interest. Lip-smacking finish. This is nearly incandescent with bright fruit and crackling energy. A fabulous rosé for an aperitif  or with dinner.

Terres Dorees (Jean-Paul Brun) 2020 Beaujolais Rosé d'Folie

Jean-Paul Brun releases small quantities of this Beaujolais rosé each year, and it's always a treat. Strawberries, bright red fruit, and a tangy side that contributes to its joyful drinkability. The finish is mineral and crisp, with a very subtle tartness that keeps the impression of a flavorful but overall dry rosé. Perfect with chicken and pork dishes all year, and it's a great aperitif outdoors in the summer... Eben Lillie

Creve Coeur (Pablo Hocht) 2020 Côtes du Rhône Rosé du Coucou

The young Pablo Hocht makes beautiful wines at his Biodynamic estate in Seguret (southern Rhone) - his "Rosé du Coucou" is a  refreshing direct-press rosé made with  old vines of 60% Grenache and 40% Cinsault. The 2020 shows a very pale pink skin color with floral aromas of raspberry, peach, citrus and stone. The palate is very light, silky and elegant with subtle raspberry fruit with hints of melon, orange rind, spice and earth, finishing with nice length of mineral flavors and refreshing acidity. This is a very lovely wine at a great price!  David Lillie

Monardiere 2020 Vacqueyras Le Rosé

This rosé from Vacqueyras is a prime candidate for any summer grill and barbecue. Primarily Grenache (with 30% Cinsault), farmed without chemical products in the vineyard, hand harvested, and fermented with indigenous yeasts. Winemakers Martine and Christian Vache vinify half of the wine for their rosé in the saignée (bleeding) method, taking juice from red grapes after about 10 hours of maceration and fermenting this separately. The other half is a direct press of partially de-stemmed grapes. Once fermented, the two wines are blended and aged on the lees for 6 months before bottling. The result is a wine of a beautiful pale hue that provides kick and crispness, brambly fresh berry fruit, with peach and rose and a touch of spice. Super dry, and satisfyingly refreshing, it's perfect with salads and snacks, and has enough body to stand up to richer, tangier flavors and grilled meats.  Eben Lillie

Clos du Joncuas 2019 Gigondas Rosé

This is a beautiful Gigondas Rosé from our organic friends at Clos du Joncuas. Pretty bright pink/orange color, aromas of raspberry, tart cherry, blood orange, peach skin and rose. Full palate with silky raspberry, peach, citrus  and mineral flavors and firm acidity, beatifully balanced and refreshing. Long finish with tart cherry, peach, earth, and citrusy acids. This gorgeous rosé is still young – it should open up nicely over the next two to three years. It's elegant and delicious now and very food-friendly – serve with grilled fish and white meats, salade nicoise, vegetarian dishes and Provençal foods. A great rosé to enjoy all year-round!

Thomas Jullien (Ferme St. Martin) 2020 Ventoux Sur la Rose

Thomas Jullien of La Ferme Saint-Martin makes this pure and refreshing rosé from organic Grenache and Cinsault grown in the foothills of the Mont Ventoux. There is almost zero added SO2 which makes this delightful wine more elegant and subtle, showing candied berry fruit, melon, and strawberry aromas, with a hint of citrus and spice. The finish is pretty and mineral, with a refreshing, cooling quality. A great summer wine: perfect for sipping on the patio or the fire escape with or without food. - and it's a sensational value!

Bastide Blanche 2020 Bandol Rosé (Arrives 5/20)

 (Arrives Friday 5/20) A reserved Bandol rosè, primarily Mourvedre with Cinsault, Grenache, Clairette and Ugni Blanc. The Mourvedre is pressed and run off directly, the Cinsault and Grenache undergo 24 hours of skin contact. Certified organic grapes from the Bronzo family vineyard in Le Castellet.  The 2020 has a coppery, salmon-colored robe. The nose, initially backward, offers an array of stone fruit and savoy herb notes, with garrigue and ripe peach aromas vying for attention with aeration. The palate offers peach skin, orange oil, and earthy flavors leading to a long, persistent, sapid finish. This  will benefit from a decant or some time open - drink now and over the next three to five years.

Pibarnon 2019 Bandol Rosé Nuances

"100% Mourvèdre, from the highest altitude and oldest vines of the estate; 50+ year old vines;  indigenous yeasts;  Fermented and aged in 50% 3000 L Stockinger oak barrels and 50% terracotta amphorae;  Aged for 1 year before release; This is a rare, small production “Grand Rosé” from the highest altitude vineyards in all of Bandol. A complex and serious rosé that will age gracefully for decades." The wine shows a very pale pink/onion-skin color with intriguing aromas of peach, red currant, earth, citrus and stone. The palate is dense and very mineral with hints of stone fruits, red currant, brown spice and citrus, quite complex and elegant. This will benefit from long decanting or a few years in the cellar.

Les Fouques 2020 Côtes de Provence Cuvée l'Aubigue Rosé

The Cuvée "L'Aubigue" is a beautifully supple and fruit-driven rosé made from 48% Cinsault, 34% Grenache, 11% Syrah, with Cabernet Sauvignon and Vermentino. The wine shows a beautiful salmon color and offers complex aromas of peach skins, wild flowers, brown spice, and grapefruit pith. The palate is round and refreshing with a dense mineral core. Flavors of peach, strawberry, and nectarine coalesce over cool herbal notes akin to licorice. The finish is suave and awash with citrus and stone. A wonderfully versatile wine, this is lovely to sip by itself and will be a seriously delicious pairing with salads, full-flavored fish dishes, chicken and grilled pork all summer and all year...

Les Fouques 2020 Côtes de Provence La Londe "L'Estelle"

 Domaine les Fouques has been certified Biodynamic (Demeter) for 30 years, and also raises sheep, ducks, chickens and guinea-hens on their old-fashioned mixed-use farm. The La Londe "Cuvee L'Estelle" is their best rosé from old vines of Cinsault 51% Grenache 21% Syrah 9% Rolle 15% Ugni blanc 4%. Unlike the majority of Provençal rosés, it is made naturally with wild yeasts, giving a more subtle expression of fruit and terroir. The 2020 is a subtle and beautiful wine showing a very pale salmon  pink color and aromas of peach skin, orange peel, rose, earth and raspberry. The palate is elegant and silky with stone and saline mineral flavors beneath very subtle red and yellow fruits, wild strawberry, hints of spice and citrus peel. The high percentage of white grapes brings delicacy and freshness. The finish is refreshing and long with nice density. This is a lovely rosé of terroir that will drink beautifully over the next three years. Serve with grilled fish, pork and chicken, salade Niçoise, or just sip by itself.  David Lillie

Combel La Serre 2020 Vin de France L'épatant Antidote Rosé

100% Malbec (known in Cahors as Auxerrois). The vines are 40 years old, grown on clay and limestone soils at an elevation of 320m. Fermentation and aging take place in small tanks."The Splendid Antidote to the Heat of the Causse" is the amusing and appropriate name of this refreshing rosé. (The Causse is the high limestone plateau around Cahors, which gets brutally hot in the summer.)  The wine shows a pretty pink/orange color and aromas of ripe cherry, raspberry and cassis with citrus and spice. There are creamy cassis, raspberry and citrus flavors on the palate which shows lovely ripeness and density, with hints of orange peel, earth, smoke and brown spice that continue in the long finish. This is quite delicious and a great value - as are all the wines from Jean-Pierre and Julien Ilbert at Combel-la-Serre. DL

Navarre 2020 Vin de France Vin d'Oeillades Rosé

Thierry Navarre is one of the few people who still grow Oeillades - a nearly extinct grape that has a long history in the Langudedoc and is thought to be an old cousin of Cinsault. Thierry's Oeillades grows on the rugged mountainsides above Roquebrun in Saint-Chinian. The 2020 shows an intriguing light purple-tinged color in the glass. The nose offers abundant ripe  plum, red currant and peach aromas with delicate notes of lavender, cardamom and dried rose petals. The palate is light and wonderfully lifted with savory flavors  of dried cherry and red currant, very sapid and pure, with earth, herbal tea, and refreshing exotic citrus on the finish. This is an unusual and quite delicious rosé with plenty of aromatic complexity and crunchy acidity to pair with a variety of dishes or to savor by itself - highly recommended!

Jurtschitsch 2020 Kamptal Rosé 'Belle Naturelle'

The Jurtschich family is one of the leaders of the natural wine movement in Austria and all of their vineyards are certified organic, fermented spontaneously, and made without additives. This bottling is a blend of Pinot Noir, Zweigelt, and Cabernet Sauvignon. The grapes are fermented whole and then stored on the lees for a few months in neutral oak. This is is a plush, textural rosé that is a real stand out, and though ideal for the end of Summer, is one of our favorite Rosé wines for the Fall and Winter months. The wine just arrived from Austria in early August, so it needs a bit of time to open up. No need to decant, but open about 30 minutes before serving if you're consuming it in the near future.  -EL

Koehler-Ruprecht 2020 Pfalz Pinot Noir Kabinett Trocken Rosé

Pinot Noir from limestone soils in the Pfalz, this rosé is a perennial favorite! Delicate and pale in the glass, the nose shows lovely grapefruit and savory leafy notes reminiscent of mustard greens. On the palate there is more of that ripe pink citrus character, rounded out with green strawberry and a touch of quinine. There is no shortage of acidity to give length here and good intensity of flavor without any heaviness. This is delicious. It pretty much always is. Sam Ehrlich

Casaretti 2020 Bardolino Classico Rosa dei Casaretti

The Rosa dei Casaretti is lighter in color than many Italian Rosatos, but the wine has some real depth. Aromatically charming, with strawberry dominating, and leafy herbal notes and a hint of grapefruit peel balancing the ripe fruit. The wine is light and very fresh; we drank it at home with a summer risotto of shell peas, sugar snap peas, and pecorino – it was a great match. Jamie Wolff

Sassara 2020 Bardolino Chiaretto Vini delle Morene (Rosato)

From the Veneto, this is a low alcohol rosato. A fresh blend of Corvina, Rondinella, and Molinara - grapes most famously used in the production of Valpolicella reds. 

Villa Calicantus 2020 Bardolino Chiar'otto Vino Rosato

A co-harvest of Corvina, Rondinella, Molinara, and Sangiovese from biodynamically farmed 53 year old, pergola-trained vines on the western shore of Lake Garda. Considered too atypical to be labeled under the Bardolino Chiaretto DOC, Daniele Deliani just labels this as a humble vino rosato.