Yes, we’re a day or so into fall, but is there any logical reason why we should stop enjoying rosé because of the calendar — just because marketers have programmed us to think of rosé as a wine of summer? I think not.
And so, before we slam the door shut on rosé in our minds until next spring, let’s highlight one more that you can enjoy right now or at any time of year as an aperitif or with lighter foods.
In rosé, as in every wine I taste, I look for subtlety and complexity, and the 2020 Côtes de Provence “Pure” from Maison Mirabeau delivers both.
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This dry, pale-salmon-colored wine is a blend of Grenache, Syrah, and Cinsault, three classic red varieties of southern France. At about $25, it’s a bit more pricey than the oceans of inexpensive rosé that look so enticing on store shelves but are often generic and dull.
This one is delicate and pretty, which, for me, are the ultimate rosé compliments. With a core of fresh strawberry and white peach on the palate, it has orange, lime, and herbal touches with a slightly creamy finish. It also has great mouthfeel, with a slight chewiness that suggests minerals or even a bit of tannic grip.
“Pure” is the flagship wine of Mirabeau, which produces only rosé wines and was founded in 2010 by Jeany and Stephen Cronk, who left a life in London to dive into the wine business and have since created a small rosé empire. Last year, they even launched a rosé gin.
Their 2020 “Pure” rosé is one of the better wines I have tasted from Provence, which remains the poster region for a pink wine explosion that shows no sign of leveling off.
