2018 Saint Aix Rosé, Coteaux d’Aix En Provence, Provence, France (Alcohol 12.5%, Residual Sugar 2 g/l) LCBO Vintages $22.95 (750ml bottle)
You know, I can never get enough decent rosé at any time of the year, but especially so during these hotter summer months.
I’ve certainly enjoyed this bottling from Saint Aix many, many times over the past handful of years, but I feel that this is the strongest vintage they have made thus far; it’s really damn good, and ranks up there as one of my favourite rosés of 2019.
This rosé presents a lovely pretty, pale, almost anemic salmon pink, and gets a point from me on colour alone, as that’s just how I usually love my rosés. Now I know that looks aren’t everything, but that little detail certainly brings out my inner aesthete as I’m sipping away on the stuff.
It’s a classic Provencal blend of Grenache, Syrah and Cinsault, with just a touch of Carignan, with 30% being produced saignée fashion and 70% direct pressing.
The result is a fresh, crisp, dry, and delightfully structured rosé with aromatics of ripe strawberries, watermelon, white flowers, and a hint of herbaceousness, followed by a real cranberry/red currant crunch and snap on the palate.
There’s a lot of judicious winecrafting going on here to capture and preserve all of that abundant fruit, but overall the wine comes over as being extremely well made and spectacularly polished, more so that 99% of the rosés I get to taste.
If you enjoy the Provencal rosé style then this one is well worth every dollar, and is a really great pairing with Asian pork dishes, even if they get a little on the spicy side.
(Four and a half apples out of a possible five… I just retasted in this sunny afternoon and gave it an additional half apple)
Saint Aix wines are represented in Ontario by Family Wine Merchants.
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Edinburgh-born/Toronto-based Sommelier, consultant, writer, judge, and educator Jamie Drummond is the Director of Programs/Editor of Good Food Revolution… And he’s always in the mood for a decent rosé.
