If you're one of those people scared of rose, don't be. Although it looks like those sugary sweet white Zinfandel and similar wines, rose wines are generally dry to slightly off dry, often full of fruit, and usually with enough acidity to be very crisp and refreshing.
To kick off the season, I'm tasting several:
Wolffer Estate 2011 (Long Island, NY)
The only non-French wine of the group. Very pale salmon color. Very light on the nose, hard to pick out specific aromas, but pleasant. On the palate, very light taste of tart strawberry. Not unpleasant, but nothing exciting either.
MiP* Cotes de Provence 2011
Provence is known for its roses, which are generally among the most highly regarded (along with Tavel). This is very pale in color (in fact, I've seen Pinot Grigios with more color than this!), perhaps just a little lighter than typical for a Cotes de Provence.
If I were to try this wine blindfolded, I would guess from the nose that it was a white, probably Sauvignon Blanc, due to the citrusy notes and little bit of grassiness. While not untypical for the style, this one seems a little more so than most other Provence wines that I've tried. But on the palate, it is quite surprising. A nice bit of berry fruit comes through, balancing the citrus very well (think raspberry lemonade, although it's more toward the grapefruit side), and the flavor and finish are much more than the light color leads you to expect.
Domaine Houchart Cotes de Provence 2011
Another Cotes de Provence, this is more of a rosy color than salmon, with none of the citrus notes of the MiP.. Just clean crisp strawberry. More fruit than either the MiP or the Wolffer. Very nice.
Bieler Pere et Fils Sabine Coteaux d'Aix-en-Provence 2011
By both sight and smell, this wine seems to fall between the two Cotes de Provence wines, with just a little salmon color to the pink, and just a bit of citrus aroma mixing in with the red fruit. A little more acidity than the Houchart, and the most lively and flavorful so far. Very nice and refreshing; a perfect wine for a picnic or just sitting on the patio.
Raffault Chinon Rose 2011
Moving to the north of France, this Chinon has a lovely pink color, much more intense than the wines from the south. It is also the most tart. There's some nice flavor there, but to me, almost a little sour, with a bit of grapefruit coming through on the finish. The only one of the group that I have to say I don't care for; rather ironic since it is the one that I was most excited to try!
Chateau d'Oupia Minervois 2011
Back to the south, this time to the southwest appellation of Minervois. Although the nose is light, it is more berry than citrus, and drifting away from strawberry. Fairly intense fruit, this is also the sweetest of the bunch, although that is relative; if you tasted it by itself, I feel sure that you would consider it dry.
Of the bunch, my favorite is between the d'Oupia and the Bieler. I'd probably lean toward the Bieler for a picnic, and the d'Oupia for a party or similar setting. Both are recommended. The Houchart comes in a close third.
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