Rose Wine
 

Best Rosé Wine
– Drink Pink.

 

The Fifty Best Rosé Tasting 2023

 

The Tasting:
The Fifty Best held a “blind” tasting of 20 recent release Rosé wines with 8 members of our wine judging panel. The order of service was established beforehand by lottery. Strict tasting rules were applied. Each of the wines were poured into fresh glasses from new sealed bottles and served well chilled. Only ice water and crusty peasant bread were available to cleanse the palate.

The judges wrote down their impressions of each wine on score sheets. The scoring was based on a 5-point system, with 5 as the highest. Double-Gold, Gold and Silver medals are awarded according to a set range of final point scores received from the judges. There were no Bronze medals awarded for this tasting. Medals are provided based entirely on merit and only to products judged worthy of such award.

The tasting notes that follow are summaries of the judges’ opinions, with all replicated commentary eliminated. The states and countries are identified for each brand. Clicking on the brands' names will link to their websites.

DOUBLE-GOLD MEDAL WINNERS

Barton & Guestier Tourmaline Rosé 2022
(Côtes De Provence, FR)

Aroma: Strawberry, purple plum, rhubarb, watermelon, green melon, rose petals, vegetal.

Palate: Strawberry, purple plum, crabapple, rhubarb, nectarine, peach, melon, grapefruit peel, celery, complex, clean.

Finish: Raspberry, lingering yellow peaches, lemon, lime, clean, fresh, very pleasant.

Double Gold Medal
Double Gold medal

Barton & Guestier Tourmaline Rosé



Château Léoube Love de Léoube Rosé 2022
(Côtes de Provence, FR)

Aroma: Nectarine, yellow peach, pomegranate, red apple, cherry, rhubarb, celery, jasmine, white flowers.

Palate: Nectarine, peach, red plum, cherry, black currant, rhubarb, pink grapefruit, orange peel, sweet, nice, lively.

Finish: Red plum, pomegranate, lime, nicely sour, touch of smoke, full bodied, rich, enjoyable.

Double Gold Medal
Double Gold medal

Château Léoube Love de Léoube Rosé



La Solitude Côtes du Rhône Rosé 2022
(Côtes du Rhône, FR)

Aroma: Watermelon, pomegranate, rhubarb, pear, rose petals, honeysuckle, lilies in full bloom, super fragrant.

Palate: Plummy, watermelon, blood orange, pomegranate, melon, lime, citrus, rose petals, endive, black pepper, saline, mineral.

Finish: Blood orange, apple, melon, mineral, salty, balanced, structured, fresh.

Double Gold Medal
Double Gold medal

La Solitude Côtes du Rhône Rosé



Âme du Vin Côtes de Provence Rosé 2022
(FR)

Aroma: Strawberry, white cherries, peach, fruity, cotton candy, floral, grassy, earthy, mineral, wet stone.

Palate: Strawberry, rhubarb, crabapple, subtle cherry, peach, pear, pink grapefruit, cotton candy, mineral.

Finish: Pink grapefruit, rhubarb, mineral, smoky, balanced, more complex, nice, soft, tart, crisp.

Double Gold Medal
Double Gold medal

Âme du Vin Côtes de Provence Rosé



Whispering Angel Rosé 2022
(Côtes de Provence, FR)

Aroma: Fresh strawberry, berries, cherry, rhubarb, apricot, apple, mint, dried herbs, fresh straw, complex, classic.

Palate: Strawberry, cherry, sour cherry, black currant, rhubarb, apricot, roses, tart.

Finish: Berries, blood orange, orange peel, tannins, fresh, crisp, bouncy.

Double Gold Medal
Double Gold medal

Whispering Angel Rosé



GOLD MEDAL WINNERS

Château Léoube Le Secret Rosé 2022
(Côtes de Provence, FR)

Aroma: Strawberry, cherry, plum, apricot jam, hint of mineral, maritime, rich, classic Provence.

Palate: Strawberry, pomegranate, cherry, black currant, raspberry lemonade with a lime twist, honeydew, lemon peel, wet stone, very clean, pure.

Finish: Lime, lime margarita, apple, white flowers, wet stone, clean, fresh, classic.

Gold Medal
Gold medal

Château Léoube Le Secret Rosé





Campuget Tradition Rosé 2022
(Costières de Nîmes. FR)

Aroma: Peach, white peach, apple, lemon, grapefruit, citrus pith, citrus, cotton candy, honeysuckle, earthy, seductive.

Palate: Strawberry, cherry, peach, French melon, pear, apple, blood orange, grapefruit, pink grapefruit, lemon, dried apricot, floral, tangy.

Finish: Nectarine, rhubarb, citrus, green olive, saline, wet stone, mineral, nice, round, very bright, savory.

Gold Medal
Gold medal

Campuget Tradition Rosé





Château La Coste Rosé 2022
(Provence, FR)

Aroma: Cherry, sour cherry, raspberry, floral, grassy, dried herbs, fresh.

Palate: Cherry, watermelon, honeydew, nectarine, orange, blood orange, orange peel, grapefruit, lime peel, white flowers, clean.

Finish: Tangy citrus, lime, a kick of sweet and tart, pleasant.

Gold Medal
Gold medal

Château La Coste Rosé





Château Léoube Rosé de Léoube 2022
(Côtes de Provence, France)

Aroma:Strawberry, rhubarb, lemon, celery, rose petals, white flowers, crusty bread, bakery, clean.

Palate: Strawberry lemonade, lemon, grapefruit, crabapple, rhubarb, mineral, round mouthfeel, bright, refreshing.

Finish: Lemon, lime, citrus, a hint of crabapple, wet stones, strong acid, crisp, some complexity, soft, easy drinking.

Gold Medal
Gold medal

Château Léoube Rosé de Léoube



Aimé Roquesante Rosé 2022
(Côtes de Provence, France)

Aroma: Raspberry, black currant, peach, nectarine, melon, orange peel, mint.

Palate: Cherry, black currant, pomegranate, rhubarb, peach, nectarine, melon, white mountain flowers, tart, drink at the beach.

Finish: Watermelon, rhubarb, wet stone, balanced, consistent all the way through, clean, fresh, so approachable.

Gold Medal
Gold medal

Aimé Roquesante Rosé



Château d'Esclans Rosé 2021
(Côtes de Provence, FR)

Aroma: Raspberry, honeydew melon, bell pepper, smoky, crisp.

Palate: Red plum, dark cherry, apricot, peach, grapefruit pith, citrus pith, mint, mineral, full, rich.

Finish: Plum, orange peel, citrus, full body, complex, balanced, rich, robust.

Gold Medal
Gold medal

Château d'Esclans Rosé



Cavit Rosé 2020
(Trevenezie, Italy)

Aroma: Sour cherry, dried apricot, melon, green apple, citrus, honey, actual honey, rose petals.

Palate: Cherry, tart cherry, red currant, red plum, pomegranate, apricot, melon, lemon peel, citrus, juicy.

Finish: Sour cherry, red plum, slight minerality, pleasant.

Gold Medal
Gold medal

Cavit Rosé



Lorenzi Estate M Rosé of Malbec 2022
(Temecula Valley, California)

Aroma: Strawberry, boysenberry, watermelon, plum, pomegranate, dark cherry, mineral, very aromatic.

Palate: Boysenberry, watermelon, pomegranate, plum, peach, pink grapefruit, concord grape, complex, deep, rich.

Finish: Black cherry, crabapple, watermelon rind, grape, touch of orange chocolate, complex, good tang.

Gold Medal
Gold medal

Lorenzi Estate M Rosé of Malbec



SILVER MEDAL WINNERS

Garrus Rosé 2021
(Côtes de Provence, FR)

Aroma: Strawberry, raspberry, peach, peach popsicle, orange peel, honeysuckle, white flowers, mint.

Palate: Peach, rhubarb, black currant, Meyer lemon, grapefruit, citrus, honeysuckle, white flowers, mineral, tangy, tart, rich.

Finish: Peach, punch, sourdough, minerals, strong implementation, some complexity, smooth, crisp, very clean, elegance.

Silver Medal
Silver medal

Garrus Rosé 2021



Moulin de Gassac Guilhem Rosé 2022
(Pays d'Hérault, Languedoc-Roussillon, FR)

Aroma: Strawberry, raspberry, crabapple, kiwi, lemon, floral, custard, chalky mineral, stony, clean.

Palate: Strawberry, raspberry, nectarine, pomegranate, rhubarb, blood orange, orange peel, lemon peel, pink grapefruit, mineral, clean, crisp.

Finish: Berry, peach, white grape, lemon, citrus, peppery, crisp, soft, pleasant, elegant.

Silver Medal
Silver medal

Moulin de Gassac Guilhem Rosé



Maris Rosé de Nymphe Émue 2022
(Languedoc, FR)  Organic.

Aroma: Strawberry, raspberry, peach, green apple, hint of crabapple blossoms, honeysuckle, subtle wood.

Palate: Strawberry, raspberry, crabapple, sour cherry, rhubarb, nectarine, lemon, cotton candy, subtle wood.

Finish: Hawaiian Punch, white flowers, light sourness, acidic, strong, powerful, heavy, robust.

Silver Medal
Silver medal

Maris Rosé de Nymphe Émue



Rock Angel Rosé 2021
Caves d'Esclans Sasha Lichine
(Côtes de Provence, FR)

Aroma: Strawberry, red plum, black currant, rhubarb, peach, lemon/lime, cane sugar, white flowers, rich.

Palate: Strawberry, raspberry, cherry, rhubarb, lemon, sour lemon, white grapefruit, kaffir leaf, olive, complex.

Finish: White grapefruit skin & pith, lime, apple, nicely balanced, bright, soft.

Silver Medal
Silver medal

Rock Angel Rosé



Notorious Pink Rosé 2022
(Béziers, FR)

Aroma: Strawberry, cherry, peachy, apricot, lemon, honey, honeysuckle, hibiscus.

Palate: Strawberry, cherry, yellow peach, apricot, pear, pink grapefruit, lemon, honeysuckle, refreshing.

Finish: Honeydew melon, citrus, honeysuckle, smooth, easy drinking, refreshing.

Silver Medal
Silver medal

Notorious Pink Rosé



Château de Pampelonne Rosé 2022
(Côtes De Provence, FR)

Aroma: Raspberry, red plum, rhubarb, peach, orange, honeysuckle, rose petals.

Palate: Apricot, peach compote, pomegranate, rhubarb, blood orange, watermelon rind, white flowers, herbaceous, wet stone, unfolds in the mouth, savory.

Finish: Peach, watermelon rind, citrus, white grape, white flowers, clean, crisp.

Silver Medal
Silver medal

Château de Pampelonne Rosé



Campuget 1753 Rosé 2022
(Costières de Nîmes. FR)

Aroma: Strawberry, apricot, peach, yellow peach, pineapple, grapefruit, cotton candy, hibiscus.

Palate: Strawberry, watermelon, peach, nectarine, apricot, subtle orange, orange peel, pink grapefruit, lemon candy, white flowers, mint.

Finish: Nectarine, apricot, blood orange, grapefruit, wet stone, refreshing.

Silver Medal
Silver medal

Campuget 1753 Rosé

 

 

Rosé’s Popularity Presses On

Sales of rosé in the U.S. has rocketed since 2014. No longer a fad, rosé wine can now be considered a long-term trend – as consumers are choosing to drink rosé all year round.

There are two main techniques for making rosé wines. The first is the Maceration technique, where red-skinned grapes are essentially produced like white wine. The grapes are crushed and the juice and skins are macerated (that is, kept in contact with each other) for a period long enough to extract the desired amount of color. The juice is then separated from the skins, and fermented like white wine, usually in stainless steel tanks. The second is the Saignée technique, where a portion of the pink juice is run off from the just-crushed red grapes after a short partial fermentation maceration to extract color and aroma (usually 12 to 24 hours). The juice is then separated from the skins, & fermented in tanks.

Rosé wines pair easily with a variety of foods. Structurally, rosé’s bracing acidity, lack of oak aging, and moderate alcohol are all very food-friendly traits. Acidity mirrors the tangy and pungent ingredients of spring and summer, while also highlighting their fresh flavors. Moderate alcoholic strength means that it won’t exacerbate spice or salt, and won’t overpower food. Rosé offers the best-of-both-worlds — it has white wine structure and red wine flavors, so it can be as light or intense as necessary depending on the food it’s being paired with.

 

 

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