These five rosés are all IGP Pays d'Oc from the Languedoc.
Marselan 2020 Les Caves Richemer (13.5% abv) - As I said in two previous posts about IGP Pays d'Oc (part 1 and part 2), Marselan is a crossing of Cabernet Sauvignon and Grenache that's been around for a few decades and has adapted well to the Languedoc. Well-made easy-going tasty rosé combining juicy red fruits and white peach with creamier food-leaning mouth-weight and fresh zingy finish. Not bad match with a kinda 'surf & turf' pasta dish: spicy sausage tortelloni topped with bolognese and sardine sauce with courgettes, garlic, ginger and smoked paprika! France cellar door €4.30, Netherlands €8.95, US €9.99.
Richemer vineyards by the Etang de Thau near Marseillan: richemer.fr
Griset 'Extraordinaire Gris' 2020 Vignobles Foncalieu (Sauvignon Gris variety, organic, 12% abv) - Very very light orangey salmon colour, ripe vs zesty pink grapefruit with yeast-less undertones, lively intense crisp and dry finish. Good wine although tastes like a white if you ignore the colour. €6.90 cellar door, £9.50 UK, €8 Belgium, €12.95 Ireland.
Cante Cigale 2020 Petit Verdot Delta Domaines (12.5% abv) - A more structured rosé perhaps with fairly deep colour, zesty and quite intense with yeast-lees tones then fruitier creamier mouth-feel and nutty hints. Good with salami pizza. €6 cellar door, €6.40 Germany. Pretty label too.
Cinsault 2020 Domaine de l'Herbe Sainte (12.5% abv) - Perfumed rose petal and pink grapefruit, gummy zesty palate with perhaps off-dry finish and lingering pear-drop flavours; nice quaffing rosé although not so exciting in the end. €6.50 cellar door.
Syrah 2020 Domaine Lalaurie (12.5% abv) - Fairly deep-coloured, full and quite fruity mouth-feel, probably good although lacks something? Maybe it's the rubbish cork causing a problem, as there was an intrusive dusty-tasting background note and slightly bitter aftertaste. Feels like there's more to the wine than this though. €5.60 cellar door, €6.50 Germany & Belgium.
Isn't it about time a progressive region like the Languedoc switched all rosés like this to screwcap closures, especially for export; surely their French customers aren't still so conservative? (Rhetorical question.) I think only one or two out of six bottles sampled were screwcapped.
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