Wines I'm Drinking: 2008 Seigneur Jean-de-Roze St. Chinian Cinsault Rosé

I picked up a few bottles of a 2008 St. Chinian Cinsault Rosé last week at Grocery Outlet in Santa Rosa. It caught my eye immediately because I spent about 12 weeks in the south of France last summer, about a 30-minute drive east of St. Chinian. The weather was very, very hot, which often called for well-chilled, light, refreshing local wines very much like this one, so I had to give it a try. Tasting notes follow.

A very pretty orange-tinted strawberry color. Many rosé wines from this area have something of the color of brandy in them--perhaps appropriate especially in the case of the St. Chinian wines, which also tend to have a little brandy on the nose. Very pretty in the glass. The wine was not especially forthcoming at first, but it had a fresh, clean fruitiness that eventually began to suggest red raspberries, strawberries, and cranberries. Later there were some caramel scents--the typical St. Chinian "brandy" note. Light and clean on the palate, at first seeming a bit too light, but with a good rush of fruitiness on the mid-palate and with plenty of balancing acidity.

Cinsault rosé wines from this part of the world are nothing profound--in some cases they lack substance--but they have their own charm. They are crisp, clean, comparatively low in alcohol, and very refreshing with food on a warm summer evening. This wine, the Seigneur Jean-de-Roze bottling from the Cave des Vignerons de Saint Chinian, is typical. Remarkably, it was less expensive here than I was paying for comparable wines in France. I suspect this offering simply didn't sell well and it got sold off in quantity to Grocery Outlet; the name St. Chinian is unfamiliar to wine drinkers here (although it ought to be less so) and Cinsault is a fairly obscure grape. Well, all the more for me. By the case, only $2.69 a bottle--needless to say, a bargain.

I have no financial connections with any producer or retailer of wine.

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Wines I'm Drinking: 2007 Saint-Chinian-Roquebrun "Terrasses de Maynard"

Tonight I tasted the 2007 Cave de Roquebrun Saint-Chinian-Roquebrun "Terrasses de Maynard," an inky purple wine smelling of violets and vanilla creme. Gradually the nose shifted in the direction of oranges and cream, but the scent of violets was there from start to finish. At first the wine seemed harshly tannic, a bit sharp, and excessively alcoholic, but that was mostly because I was drinking it far too warm (it had warmed to a warm room temperature)--hardly fair to the wine or its maker. After cooling the bottle to a more reasonable temperature, it began to seem much more tame. The wine retained a certain rustic brashness, but suddenly acquired the balance it had lacked. The alcohol no longer bit with every sip and the tannins seemed to melt away. Not an especially smooth or sophisticated sort of wine, but attractive nevertheless, with tasty plum and coffee flavors and crisp acidity suggesting it would benefit from another two to three years in bottle. A good value at only €6.5 (a little more than $7).

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Wines I'm Drinking: Two More Languedoc Rosés

Last night I tried two more local rosés, again from the expensive end of the spectrum. Domaine de L'Arjolle has the best reputation of any of the wineries in the immediate area, and its prices are three to four times higher than any one else's. Having tasted what must be about the least expensive rosé in the area early in my stay (five liters for €6), I thought it would give me some perspective to try one of the most expensive (€11, or about $12 for a standard 750ml bottle). I also tasted a mid-range wine (for this area, that is) from St. Chinian. Tasting notes follow.

2009 Domaine de L'Arjolle Méridienne Vin de Pays des Cotes de Thongue Rosé
The label offers no information about the grapes used, but this is likely a blend of the usual red grapes of the area, such as Grenache, Syrah, Cinsault, or Mourvedre. The wine was a medium-deep orange-pink, very pretty to look at. It had distinctive citrus rind scents. I was put in mind of orange marmalade. There were also floral scents--rose water, maybe. Fruity on the palate, suggestive of raspberries. Generally, round and generous. Smooth and easy to drink. No rough edges, but with a little attractive bitterness on the mid-palate followed by a lingering, toasty finish. Fairly low in acid. I would have preferred a bit more crispness. Still, this is very well made wine. Delicious, but I'm not sure it's worth two to three times the best values I've come across so far (the following wine, for example). I little bit too round and neat, perhaps.

2008 Les Hauts de Coulinié Saint-Chinian Rosé
A blend of Syrah (60%) and Grenache (40%). From Cave de Roquebrun. A very pretty, medium-deep orange pink--a pale burnt sienna color. Fairly light on the nose but with a hint of strawberries laced with caramel. Clean and crisp on the palate. Compared with the above wine, this seemed just a little rough, but, in the end I preferred its crispness and edge. A hint of tannin. Fruity and light but good body and length and an attractive, toasty mid-palate again suggestive of caramel (although the wine is quite dry). Delicious and reasonably priced. At only €4.50 a bottle (less than $5), perhaps the best value I've encountered so far. If I were living here permanently, I'd go back for a case or two of this.

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