Monday, February 8, 2010

A French Rose: 2008 La Vieille Ferme, $8


This is the first rose wine I've reviewed for this blog, and I have to say it proved to be a worthy one. I bought this bottle at World Market a month ago, and it cost around $8.

This is one of three varieties offered by La Vieille Ferme (the other two being a red and a white), and comes from Rhône Valley Vineyards in the Côtes du Ventoux AOC, which is located near the Côtes du Rhône appellation.

>>Appellation d'origine contrôlée (or AOC, for short) is a French term that certifies that a wine is made from specific grapes from the area stated on the label, and that it is produced in a certain way.

La Vieille Ferme Rose is made from Cinsault (50%), Grenache (40%), and Syrah (10%) grapes. It is a medium-bodied wine that is light red in color, and gives off aromas of red berry (strawberry, cranberry, etc.), grape, and a slightly earthy scent. It has very little sweetness or tannins and is moderate in terms of fruit and acidity.

On a side note, I finally figured out after some time that the word "Récolte" on the label means "crop or vintage," as in "Vintage: 2008", and is not part of the name of the wine itself! That just goes to show that you learn something new everyday, and more so, it seems, when it comes to the wine world! =)

At the onset, acidity overwhelms with this one, but slowly fades away and balances out as fruit flavors appear. In the 30-45 second time frame, harmony is reached as the flavors and acidity balance further, and from 45 seconds onward, this balance continues as the flavors gently reside.

All in all, this rose is a dry, delicate wine that is pleasant but nothing to write home about. It would be great with appetizers, or as a good compromise to offer a divided group of red and white wine lovers.

My Grade: + or ++
(I'm on the fence as far as the grade to assign this one...As I said, it's nothing terribly exciting, but it's also a good, strong, straightforward rose.)

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