If the sun is out.....go go go....time for ROSE!!
Maybe not quite yet, but when the sun is shining try a Rose D'Anjou. I went with this majority Grolleau, Gamay blend. Grolleau is a black grape varietal, so most likely here the wine maker did a small direct press to extract some delicate colour into the wine. The Grolleau grape primarily comes from the Loire region in France. The blend fell out of favour as Cabernet D'Anjou came onto the wine scene but as with everything, there is only one way to find out...and find out I did.
Pale vibrant pink on the nose, there was a distinct watermelon aroma, with wild strawberries, rose blossom, underripe raspberries and a touch of white rose. Definitely a youthful expression, fermented to slightly off dry - with residual sweetness making up for the alcohol content that was a little lower. Medium+ acidity - I actually expected it to be higher, palate resembles largely the nose with more red fruit characteristics and the finish was a medium-.
I would argue subtlety on the palate and finish ensures that this is an ideal wine to sup away those summer days that we all long for after this winter. It is certainly a drink now with the vibrancy in the primary aromas only, not one for the store cupboard as ageing will do little for it.
Food pairings for this one: I would argue most pan fried fish, also sushi would make a good combination with that wasabi cutting through nicely with the freshness and acidity of the wine ... be careful though not too much to overpower it! Or a nice summer salad, especially if we are linking it in with a little bit of fish fresh off the bbq.
TDWG Overall rating: Modest 88/100 - I think value for money here and very drinkable on a sunny day!
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