Winemaker Notes
Professional Ratings
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Jeb Dunnuck
Always one of my favorite Rosés in just about every vintage, the 2016 Tavel La Dame Rousse smells like basket of freshly picked strawberries and raspberries. It shows the richer side of the vintage, yet is clean, crisp and refreshing, with bright acidity. Hat’s off to this estate for consistently delivering one of finest Rosés in the world, year in, year out.
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Wine & Spirits
Textbook Tavel, this is a meaty, generously flavored rose with lots of stony mineral flavor to spport the red fruit. Based on grenache from 40-year-old vines and blended with a host of local varieties, the wine seems to grow in size and complexity with air, herbal notes and grapefruit acidity adding lift and freshness. It's hearty enough to pair with seafood sausages; delicate enough to drink on its own.
Whether it’s playful and fun or savory and serious, most rosé today is not your grandmother’s White Zinfandel, though that category remains strong. Pink wine has recently become quite trendy, and this time around it’s commonly quite dry. Since the pigment in red wines comes from keeping fermenting juice in contact with the grape skins for an extended period, it follows that a pink wine can be made using just a brief period of skin contact—usually just a couple of days. The resulting color depends on grape variety and winemaking style, ranging from pale salmon to deep magenta.
The only all-rosé appellation in the Rhone, a Tavel comes in many hues from light salmon to bright pink and is said to be the only rosé that can actually age—and improve. The rosé wines of Tavel have a great historic reputation, having been favored by King Louis XIV in the 18th century, as well as famous authors, Balzac and Mistral.
Tavel are always dry but the high percentage of the fruity Grenache (30-60% of the blend by law) and even Cinsault, give charming aromas and flavors that make them feel "almost sweet." A great Tavel rosé will have a bouquet suggestive of rose petals, apricot, strawberry and red currant. The palate may be fleshy, round and layered but is always fresh and balanced.