BUYING GUIDE - Wine Enthusiast Magazine

91
Château de Pampelonne 2011 Rosé
(Côtes de Provence). This is an impressive
wine that’s full of fruit, structure and acidity. It’s well
balanced, rich and crisply fresh, with lively acidity on
the finish—a real food-friendly rosé. Jeff Wellburn Selections.
Editors’ Choice. —R.V.
abv: 13% Price: $19
91
Château Sainte Marguerite 2011 Cru
Classé Grand Réserve Rosé (Côtes de
Provence). For full review see page 8.
abv: 12.5% Price: $28
91
Domaine Saint-André de Figuière
2011 Vieilles Vignes Rosé (Côtes de
Provence). From old vines, this is a concentrated
wine that’s full of dense red-berry fruits and an intense
caramel and spice character. It has an apple skin texture,
with an herbal aftertaste. AP Wine Imports. —R.V.
abv: 12.5% Price: $NA
91
Domaines Ott 2011 Clos Mireille Rosé
(Côtes de Provence). This is a delicate,
beautifully-poised wine, so crisp and lively. The oceaninfluenced
vineyard site helps to keep the wine light.
This is what summer rosé is about. Maisons Marques &
Domaines USA. —R.V.
abv: 13% Price: $45
90
Château Barbanau 2011 L’Instant Rosé
(Côtes de Provence). This is a bright, fresh
raspberry-flavored wine. It’s fruity and layered with attractive,
crisp acidity. A touch of spice accents the finish.
PS Wines. —R.V.
abv: 12.5% Price: $18
90
Château de Roquefort 2011 Corail Rosé
(Côtes de Provence). Wonderfully fruity,
this is a clean, crisp and food-friendly rosé. It poised and
elegant, with a ripe fruit character that’s balanced by
taut acidity and lime zest flavor. VOS Selections. —R.V.
abv: 13% Price: $20
90
Château les Valentines 2011 Rosé (Côtes
de Provence). This is a rich style of rosé, fullbodied
and packed with ripe strawberry fruit. As a happy
contrast to this richness, it also has a spice and orange
zest element that adds both piquancy and final crispness.
Potomac Selections. —R.V.
abv: 13.5% Price: $23
90
Château Rimauresq 2011 Rosé (Côtes
de Provence). A delicious, crisp and fruity
wine that’s textured with minerality and a tang of lemon
zest. On the palate a raspberry flavor dominates, with
layers of acidity and a lively, bright aftertaste. Classic
Wines, Inc. —R.V.
abv: 13% Price: $20
90
Château Saint-Pierre 2011 Tradition
Rosé (Côtes de Provence). For full review
see page 11. Best Buy.
abv: 12.5% Price: $15
90
Château Sainte Marguerite 2011 Cuvée
M Rosé (Côtes de Provence). This is fruity,
light and crisp, with all elements in balance. An orange
zest note cuts through the raspberry fruit, with attrac-
54 | WINE ENTHUSIAST | JULY 2012
tive acidity in the background. A fine apéritif style of
rosé. Dreyfus, Ashby & Co. —R.V.
abv: 12.5% Price: $NA
90
Château Sainte Roseline 2011 La Chapelle
de Sainte-Roseline Rosé (Côtes
de Provence). Light and bright, this is so poised and
crisp. It has a lift of raspberry fruit, lime juice and a
touch of saltiness. This is a sophisticated food rosé. Vidalco
International, LLC. —R.V.
abv: 12.5% Price: $60
90
Clos Cibonne 2010 Rosé (Côtes de
Provence). Based on Tibouren, a red grape
found in Provence, this is a perfumed wine that tastes
of the regions herbs and lavender. Both warm and light,
it has notes of spice, red plum and a delicate aftertaste.
Demaison Selection. —R.V.
abv: 13% Price: $NA
90
Domaine du Clos d’Alari 2011 Grand
Clos Rosé (Côtes de Provence). Red plum
and grapefruit flavors lead the wine down a crisp path.
As it develops, it shows some weight and richness, with
a hint of truffle, spice and caramel. DB Wines. —R.V.
abv: 13% Price: $21
90
Domaine Gavoty 2011 Cuvée Clarendon
Rosé (Côtes de Provence). This is an
attractive, fruity wine, with a touch of well-integrated
vanilla. The aftertaste is soft, with a hint of pepper. Garber
and Co. —R.V.
abv: 13.5% Price: $NA
90
Domaine Sorin 2011 Terra Amata Rosé
(Côtes de Provence). Rounded and rich,
this is full of strawberry flavors. It’s deliciously ripe, with
crispness to go with the serious fruit. This is very much
a food rosé, concentrated and intense. Grape Expectations
(CA). Best Buy. —R.V.
abv: 13% Price: $12
90
Domaines les Fouques 2011 Cuvée de
l’Aubigue Rosé (Côtes de Provence). A
really crisp, attractive wine. It has great fruit character
and balanced acidity. The wine is poised and elegant,
with a delicious fruity finish. Fruit of the Vines, Inc.
—R.V.
abv: 13% Price: $NA
89
Château d’Esclans 2011 Rosé (Côtes de
Provence). Full, soft and rounded, this shows
flavors of ripe strawberry and red plum. The texture
is smooth, with just a tang of minerality. Nutmeg and
pepper complement the acidity on the finish. Shaw-
Ross International Importers. —R.V.
abv: 13.5% Price: $35
89
Château d’Esclans 2010 Les Clans Rosé
(Côtes de Provence). Ripe, smooth and
toasty, this has the feel and texture of Chardonnay. It
is full and rounded, yet its acidity and red fruit character
lend elegance. Shaw-Ross International Importers.
—R.V.
abv: 13.5% Price: $70
89
Château de Pourcieux 2011 Rosé (Côtes
de Provence). Full in the mouth, this is a
rich style of rosé, with delicious red-berry crispness.
It is ready for food with its tangy, textured aftertaste.
Screwcap. Baron Francois Ltd. —R.V.
abv: 13% Price: $20
89
Château l’Afrique 2011 Rosé (Côtes de
Provence). From one of the Sumeire family
estates, this ripe, red-fruited wine is cleanly balanced
with the purest fruit flavors. There is just a touch of lemon
and exhilarating acidity. Cru Wines. —R.V.
abv: 13% Price: $NA
89
Château la Moutète 2011 Grande
Réserve Rosé (Côtes de Provence). This
is a delightful rosé that’s full of lemon and raspberry
fruit. The lively, crisp acidity should cut through rich
fare. Ideal Wine and Spirits Co. Inc. —R.V.
abv: 13% Price: $15
89
Château Léoube 2011 Secret de Léoube
Rosé (Côtes de Provence). This is a soft,
carmel-flavored wine, with smooth yeast and sweet fruit
flavors. The richness is balanced with apple skin acidity
and a crisp, clean aftertaste. Transatlantic Wines &
Spirits. —R.V.
abv: 13% Price: $32
89
Château Sainte Roseline 2011 Cuvée
Prieure Rosé (Côtes de Provence). From
selected parcels at Sainte-Roseline, this is a concentrated
and serious rosé. It has weight and rich strawberry
fruit, balanced by attractive acidity. The aftertaste
brings in ripe fruit and a touch of spice. Vidalco International,
LLC. —R.V.
abv: 13% Price: $38
89
Domaine Saint-André de Figuière
2011 Cuvée Signature Rosé (Côtes de
Provence). This is the lighter of the two rosés from
Saint-André de Figuière. It brings out crisp fruit,
lively spice and red berry, with a great streak of clean,
mouthwatering acidity. AP Wine Imports. —R.V.
abv: 12.5% Price: $NA
89
Domaines Ott 2011 Château de Selle
Rosé (Côtes de Provence). A rounded
style, with full-bodied red fruits and a rich, silky texture.
The wine still does have attractive acidity and a crisp
grapefruit edge to balance it out. Maisons Marques &
Domaines USA. —R.V.
abv: 13.5% Price: $45
88
Château de Brigue 2010 Brigue Prestige
(Côtes de Provence). This is a
concentrated wine that’s full of black fruits and
textured tannins. It has spice, rosemary and a taut character.
Tru Wines LLC. —R.V.
abv: 12.5% Price: $18
88
Château de Saint-Martin 2011 Grande
Réserve Rosé (Côtes de Provence).
Big and rounded, this has layers of caramel and
strawberry flavors. The fruit is ripe and forward, with
delicious acidity and a soft, honeyed aftertaste. Fine
Terroirs LLC. —R.V.
abv: 13% Price: $23