The first rose of the season has been spotted, and it's a treat -- the Mulderbosch (about $11, purchased) from South Africa. Best yet, it costs a couple of dollars less than it did at this time last year.
The rose preliminaries, for those of you who haven't seen this before: rose may be pink, but it's a dry wine and bears little resemblance to sweeter pink wines like white zinfandel. Roses are served chilled, and are ambidextrous -- drink them on the porch on a hot summer afternoon or with almost any kind of food (including beef). That Americans don't drink more rose is one of the great mysteries of the wine business.
The Mulderbosch has always been one of my favorites, and this year it's even more interesting. Would that all South African wines were this well done. This year's vintage is bone dry, with a mineral finish and just enough berry fruitiness. It's very well made and should get better over the next 10 or 12 months. And did I mention that it costs a couple of dollars less this year?
Thanks for sharing the Wine of the week: Mulderbosch Cabernet Sauvignon Rose 2009. Being a wine lover, I enjoyed going through your blog.
Posted by: Hampers | March 18, 2010 at 03:30 AM
Just cracked open a bottle of this beauty this afternoon, and I must say this is a fantastic rosé, especially so considering I'm normally a fan of deep, tannic reds! We served it at about 55°, although it seems the flavors and aromas intensify as it warms up. Your description is spot on, and I'm ecstatic that I only paid $9 for it.
Posted by: Matt | June 06, 2010 at 04:55 PM
That's exactly what I like to hear. Thanks for the kind words.
Posted by: Jeff Siegel | June 07, 2010 at 06:29 AM