WBW #9: Cotes du Rhone Rose

Cotes du Rhone Rose, bouteille pleine

If I had to pick a favorite wine since I've been out here, it's Cotes du Rhone. A glass of red Cotes du Rhone is always the cheapest glass of wine at the bar and, in my opinion, the most reliably good. I recently discovered that there is also a white Cotes de Rhone, which was good, but had nowhere near the body of a red.

So last night, in preparation for Think Pink! Wine Blogging Wednesday, hosted by the delightful Sam at Becks & Posh, I headed to Nicholas, the chain liquor store near me and noticed, to my delight, that not only are they having a special on Cotes du Rhone, but there was also a Cotes du Rhone Rose for only 5,20!

This bottle is from Domaine de la Berthete. It says on the back of the bottle (I just found out that wine bottles often say things on the back!):

"Situe dans la plaine du Plan de Dieu, le Domaine vous invite a deguster ce Cotes du Rhone rose aux aromes fruites; rose de saignee elabore a partir des cepages: cinsault, grenache et carignan."

"Situated in the plain of the Plan de Dieu, the Domaine invites you to taste this Cotes du Rhone rose with fruity aromas; this blood-colored rose is particularly special because of its vines : cinsault, grenache and carignan."

Without food, and pleasantly chilled, this rose had a clean, crisp flavor, slightly sweet and almost no aftertaste. This makes it an excellent aperitif. Unfortunately, it works less well with food. In fact, the duck leg I served it with over-powered it so much that my Best Friend and dining companion refused to finish his wine until after the meal. Cherries didn't work well with it either, making the wine taste bitter and overly alcoholic. However, it might work very nicely with something lighter and savory, such as fish or chicken.

All in all, an excellent wine for an aperitif if not necessarily for a meal.