So today we shift back to another one of my favorite summertime roses.  It is hot out, everywhere, and Rose is the prefect summertime thirst quencher.  I find it a little ironic that during the "bad time" of year here in Florida, it is actually warmer up north during their "good time" of year.  Side note, it never gets as cold down here in winter as it does up north.

Red wine gets its color from the skins of the grapes.  The actual juice has fairly little color, so to make a rose, you can take any red grape and after pressing the juice, you remove the skins of the grape.  The longer you leave the skins in contact with the juice the darker the color of wine.  There are a couple other ways to produce rose, but this is the most common.

My last post on Rose was about a California Rose.  California definitely makes amazing Rose, however, one of the most premier wine regions for Rose would be Provence France.  Provence is known for making some of the most popular Roses on the market.  Whispering Angel, Miraval, Domaine Ott to name a few, but today I am talking about Commanderie de la Bargemone.  They tend to be lighter in color, from light pink to almost as clear as water.  The primary grapes used in Provence are Cinsault, Grenache, Mourvèdre, Syrah, Cabernet Sauvignon, the more local Tibouren and, occasionally, Carignan.

Commanderie de la Bargemone definitely does not have the sexiest name and is by no means a fancy package.  They updated the label about 3 years ago.  It went from awful to slightly less awful.  But what it lacks in a clever name and sexy packaging, it makes up tenfold in quality in the bottle. I know that the only thing most wine consumers have to go off of when purchasing wine is what is on the bottle, but I try to remind customers that you don't drink the label.  It is what's on the inside that counts.

This wine is organically grown and offers classic aromas of wild strawberries and red currants, with a light, floral character and a crisp, bone-dry palate.  A Rosé to be enjoyed year-round on its own or with a wide range of lighter fare and Provence-inspired cuisine.  I highly recommend grabbing a bottle to quench your thirst during these hot summer days!

Commanderie de la Bargemone Coteaux d'Aix en Provence Rose 2021

-Patrick Mulrooney