Domaine de Terrebrune ‘08 Bandol Rosé
Why do most people completely dismiss pink wine three seasons a year? I’m always floored to get a disgusted look from a restaurant guest after suggesting a rosé outside the months of summer. Sorry to challenge your wine colour paradigm.
I can’t remember the last time I enjoyed a rosé this much. It’s quite possible that I haven’t, although aged López de Heredia Rosado is another front runner. Bandol is a town on the French Mediterranean coastline, a little east of Marseille and is the source of much of the great wine from Provence. The Domaine de Terrebrune rosé is made mostly from Mourvèdre with a portion of both Grenache and Cinsault all grown organically on complex limestone soils.
(image borrowed from WineTerroirs.com)
It’s fresh, minerally, complex with beautiful intensity and a lovely viscous texture. Lightly herbed strawberries and cream on the nose with dusty chalk and rindy watermelon on the palate. Tasty wine that required some thought and conversation. Also a semi-serious rosé price tag at $28 USD from Kermit Lynch in Berkeley. I’ll happily drink this sun or snow.
For more info on Domaine de Terrebrune, check out Bertrand Celce’s post here.
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7 Responses:
January 6th, 2010 at 3:50 pm
Pricey, but if it’s as good as the Domaine Tempier Rose then worth it. IF you’ve had the Tempier, how does this wine compare to it?
January 6th, 2010 at 5:06 pm
Unfortunately I had the Tempier rose over 3 years ago and besides knowing that I enjoyed it, I can’t remember any specifics. Now I’m dying to try it again…
January 6th, 2010 at 6:50 pm
You nailed it Jake.
It is so hard trying to ween customers off the “May to September” romance of Rosé wines and convince them that they are a bona fide category unto themselves.
I would maybe suggest that there are “drink me quick styles” and then the more srious styles ( a la Lopez de Heredia, etc).
Totally a hand sell but totally when you have an open minded customer willing to experiment. I love it when establishments offer “serious Rosé” by-the-glass so customers can try a glass before they go for the whole enchilada.
Rosés offer some really great food and wine matching possibilities.
Going back a thread or two - Jake, if you decide to do a Quintarelli evening next time you are in Vancouver, please keep me in mind - I would love to be there (hell, I might be able to get you a deal on some Quintarelli - (disclosure - I am not the importer - love the wine, HATE the importer!)).
January 6th, 2010 at 11:50 pm
Anyone who imports heredia is entitled to some strong opinions! :). Love the heredia wines btw.
January 7th, 2010 at 9:08 am
Thanks for cutting me some slack.
Strong opinions can sometimes be phrased diplomatically (sometimes the Chianti gets the better of me!).
Hey, how come there’s no edit function for these posts?
January 7th, 2010 at 10:27 am
This one definitely falls onto the more serious side of the spectrum and although I don’t have much experience with aging roses, I feel it would interesting to see what characters come through 5 years down the road. Yet pretty tasty now.
It’s good to see more interest in a Quintarelli evening, we’ll have to make it happen.
As far as I can tell, this Wordpress doesn’t offer comment editing options…