Giaconda's new venture into rosés intrigued me when I first heard about it because obviously these wines a good match for the Israeli summer and at this point in my oneological odyssey, their 20 dollar price point (more or less) make them an excellent economic option for everyday drinking. The questions that pressed me were how good would Giaconda's selection be and how much would I actually enjoy a classical French rosé and as answer to both questions, this initial tasting of a representative from the world's premier (and lone?) rosé-only appellation seems to supply a promising answer.A forward blast of raspberries and cherries creates an initial impression of juicy plonk but this shallow impression fades away in minutes as the wine reveals a leesy-minerally attitude. So much so, that after a while, only the color gives any hint of red fruit - sniffing it with my eyes shut, it seemed like a young, yeasty white. There is also a slight whiff of alcohol that Giaconda's Anat Sela explained is due to the Grenache element in the blend. The palate is a lattice of minerals and spices, with the fruit in the background. Very crisp and food friendly, yet an intellectual pleasure as well, as, flourishing its mineral-speckled fabric, it flickers between the white and red wine spheres.
The final blend was made to order and handpicked by Giaconda's Anat Sela and Rafaella Ronen, just to remind you they're trained winemakers.
Comments
Do you think they should be served ice cold or would that take away from the subtelty?
MaDonna
Ice cold would probably flatten it to death.
MaDonna