MCF Rare Wine
Aged Rosé is Legit, And Here's the Proof
I think I say it in every newsletter about Rosé, that most pink wines will put on nice amounts of added complexity with a year or two in the cellar.
Yes, you may lose some of the energy and freshness, but you gain plenty of new flavor in its place.
Over the years, the Rosé longevity experiment has become a bit of a hobby of mine - sometimes on purpose, sometimes accidental.
Just the other week, Emily and I enjoyed a bottle of Bermejos Rosado from 2011 that I discovered sitting in one of my personal stash boxes.
In case you've ever wondered what a ten year old bottle of highly volcanic Rosado from the Canaries would taste like, I can tell you that I have tasted the taste, and the taste is good.
Rosés from the appellation of Bandol in Provence are some of the few examples of Rosé that have long been thought of as ageworthy by people in the greater wine world, and I always recommend allowing your tightly structured bottles of, say, Chateau Pradeaux's Rosé, to age in the cellar for a year, rather than drinking them on release.
It's so worth the extra patience, because it not only makes the wine more complex and delicious, but more versatile, as well.
Today, though, you don't have to take my word for it, because today I have magnums of Domaine La Bastide Blanche's 2018 Bandol Rosé on offer, and at some really nice pricing, too.
With two years of cellar time already behind it, the Bastide Blanche is pretty much in prime drinking condition right now. It's gone from young, taut and densely-packed to, well, wide open.
The darker, orange-ing color is your first indicator that things are a little different here, but, on first whiff, it becomes abundantly clear that you're dealing with a completely different animal.
The intense, spicy, meaty, smoky notes on the nose are textbook examples of an aged Bandol, and are outdone only by their mirror images on the palate, which, when combined with the wonderfully savory-tinged, deeply pink fruit notes and firm mineral elements, might make you wonder why you ever drank it young to begin with.
Seriously, though, while I'm a huge advocate for young, fresh wines, there's a whole lot to be said for sitting down to an evening meal on the deck with something that's still 'Summery', but is a lot more serious and substantial, as well.
These magnums of 2018 Bastide Blanche could (and should) be that something.
You may order by emailing info@mcf-rarewine.com or calling 212.255.8870.
Matt Franco
MCF Rare Wine, Ltd
