Yesterday I had my annual Rose Day party. It's something I started years ago where on Memorial Day weekend my friends and I would welcome Summer's impending arrival with cool, crisp, dry Rose wines from the South of France. As part of the many bottles opened I decided to organize a "Master Class" on Tavel for my friends. Actually the whole night could have been a master class in itself, as the number of Rose wines opened, offered and tasted was significant, and perhaps a rival to one dinner years back surrounding Chateauneuf du Pape.
2015 Domaine de la Mordoree La Remise Vin de France
This isn't exactly Tavel because some of the grapes come from outside the AOC of Tavel, but it's the entry point for Mordoree in my mind, as they produce Rose under both Cotes du Rhone and Tavel designations. It's a perfectly acceptable wine, made correctly and has good flavor. It's a bit "wider" on the palate than most Tavels and has a bit more of the sour berry appeal than others. While it doesn't hit the "sweet" spot, it's a lot fatter and chewier than expected.
2015 Alain Jaume Le Cretace Tavel
Here's a wine that can be enjoyed by novices, experienced wine drinkers and fans of Pink wine. The Grenache, Syrah and Mourvedre blend is perfectly correct, and spot on in freshness. It's more towards the mid bodied style, not bone dry but not full bodied either. It shows off tons of fruit, has decent palate weight and is lively.
2015 Domaine de la Mordoree La Dame Rousse Tavel
Lovely. Striking. Darn good and if not poured in a group of six that included two better, this would have been my favorite of the night. But, it only came in third of the six. The La Dame Rousse has layer upon layer of fruit. It's got that kind of crystalline flavor going on and also lots of deep fruit. I love the strawberry and blackberry flavor that comes through.
2015 Domaine de la Mordoree Les Vestides Tavel
Normally, this is my favorite of the Mordoree Roses as it is the most terroir distinct one of the trio of their higher end releases. This year it came in third as it was a bit closed. My view is it needs more time in the bottle to come out of its shy state. Of course I'm splitting hairs here as it was darn good, but just needs some time.
2015 Domaine de la Mordoree La Reine des Bois Tavel
Tied for first was the La Reine des Bois. Cool, crisp, racy, with lots of strawberry and raspberry fruit flavor, this was a classic Tavel on all front. The near bone dry mouthfeel, coupled with the fruit, the elegance and the balance has this pink wine showing that the Grenache harvest of 2015 wasn't anything to sneeze at. It was as classic as a Rose can be and was right on point as one of the two best of the night.
2015 Chateau de Trinquevedel Tavel
The last time I through a Rose Day was in 2014 so the wines were from 2013. The 13 Trinquevedel was less than impressive that day, with the La Mordoree Le Vestides taking the honors along with Prieure de Montezargues. The 14 was a better wine, but I was in Europe last year at this time so Rose Day was just about everyday. The 15 Trinquevedel is everything I've learned to expect from this wine, which I've been tasting almost every years since I've been buying wines from Kermit Lynch. The flavor profile of the Trinquevedel and the La Reine des Bois are almost identical, with the LRdB having some Mourvedre which the Trinquevedel lacks. On the palate, like the Mordoree it has balance and length, with that dryness I've learned and yearned for from it. A hint of blueberry, some dry cherry and lots of strawberry...
Rose in summer are the perfect wines to enjoy, and these six were just that....and enjoyed by all...
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