by Patrick Ogle
Broc Cellars Love Rosé 2014 will truly make you love rose (if you don't already). The first thing I thought about this wine was how pleasant it is to sip on a hot day. A little later I thought; "This wine is the reason I love wine." It is more than just smell and taste. A wine like this makes you think and thinking is part of enjoying wine. It isn't just about getting boozed up.
I thought "strawberry" first then rejected that notion. Next I thought "cherry". But even here I am not quite sure (I confess I had something of a cold). There are things you might find contradictory--a round softness that shares space with some crispness. The first sensation of "sweetness" (it isn't really sweet) is the fruit. It makes you think of sweetness-- in this case a scary mythical red fruit like cherry candy (with no sugar).
See how confused this wine made me? I am making up fake fruit.
How does a rosé have this much going on? Maybe it is the unusual grape choices--white grenache gris, zinfandel and barbera. This combination is part of what makes you think; is that taste from the barbera? Sure the grenache is predominant but a little zin goes a long way! Keep in mind grenache gris is not grenache blanc but a mutation of the red grenache grape. Barbera is, of course, one of the most planted red varietals in Italy and it is planted with some frequency and success in California.
This is what I love about wine. I am still trying to figure out this rosé. I may go through two or three bottles before I come to any solid conclusion and I will have fun doing it. This kind of depth in a rosé, to me, is what makes a good or great wine--keeping in mind the context; this is an under $20 bottle of wine.
Broc Cellars Love Rosé 2014 will truly make you love rose (if you don't already). The first thing I thought about this wine was how pleasant it is to sip on a hot day. A little later I thought; "This wine is the reason I love wine." It is more than just smell and taste. A wine like this makes you think and thinking is part of enjoying wine. It isn't just about getting boozed up.
I thought "strawberry" first then rejected that notion. Next I thought "cherry". But even here I am not quite sure (I confess I had something of a cold). There are things you might find contradictory--a round softness that shares space with some crispness. The first sensation of "sweetness" (it isn't really sweet) is the fruit. It makes you think of sweetness-- in this case a scary mythical red fruit like cherry candy (with no sugar).
See how confused this wine made me? I am making up fake fruit.
How does a rosé have this much going on? Maybe it is the unusual grape choices--white grenache gris, zinfandel and barbera. This combination is part of what makes you think; is that taste from the barbera? Sure the grenache is predominant but a little zin goes a long way! Keep in mind grenache gris is not grenache blanc but a mutation of the red grenache grape. Barbera is, of course, one of the most planted red varietals in Italy and it is planted with some frequency and success in California.
This is what I love about wine. I am still trying to figure out this rosé. I may go through two or three bottles before I come to any solid conclusion and I will have fun doing it. This kind of depth in a rosé, to me, is what makes a good or great wine--keeping in mind the context; this is an under $20 bottle of wine.
Broc Cellars wines are excellent, unusual and moderately priced. I have yet to taste a bad one. The make numerous fun, unusual blends but they also make varietals of note. They recently released a rosé zinfandel that was a tribute to the white zinfandel of days gone by (even though it didn't taste like it at all). White zinfandel has been credited with saving the zinfandel vines of California. Red zins were not popular back in those days and the vines might well have been replaced with more lucrative plantings had white zinfandel not taken off.
These folks think about their wines and it shows. Broc Cellars wines are always, ALWAYS, fun. This rosé is trendy, elegant and unique. If you see it grab a bottle.
$17-20
These folks think about their wines and it shows. Broc Cellars wines are always, ALWAYS, fun. This rosé is trendy, elegant and unique. If you see it grab a bottle.
$17-20
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