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Wine and Spirits / Everything's coming up rose By Daniel Rogov Tags: Rose, Israel news, wine For quite a few years rose wines were scoffed, often for being "not serious enough" for sophisticated wine lovers. Until recently that was a fair enough judgment - many of the roses on the market were too sweet, with not enough balancing acidity to keep them lively, and they were often made from grapes considered second rate by various wineries. Happily, all of that is changing rapidly, and rose wines - now dryer, made from fine grapes and given appropriate care in the winemaking process - are justifiably increasing in popularity around the world. Ros? wines are never meant to be taken with too much seriousness. The entire goal of a good ros? is to sit comfortably on the palate, to make a refreshing quaffing wine, to provide something lighter and more frivolous than the so-called "serious" wines. Rose wines at their best should be entirely hedonistic - that is to say, they have no reason to give us pause to contemplate their complexities, their futures or their age-worthiness. They are, in a sense, wines to satisfy our need for short-term gratification and out-and-out simple pleasures. None of which is to say that such wines cannot be a delight, nor that such wines are not meant to be judged. It is, however, to say that (with the possible exception of a few rose Champagnes) that no rose wine has ever attained nor will one ever attain a score of 95 or higher. The simple truth is that a rose wine that scores 86-89 points will offer a great deal of pleasure. Advertisement Following are reviews of a small collection of rose wines being introduced to the local market by the boutique importer Giaconda, all of which are very good value for money. The wines, from the Loire Valley, the Southern Rhone Valley and Bordeaux, can be ordered directly from the importer by phoning (03) 602-2746. Domaine le Couroulu, Rose, Vacqueyras, Rhone, 2006: Near-orange in color, a blend of Syrah, Grenache and Mourvedre, this wine is distinctly medium-bodied but sits - almost floats - on the palate to show off its raspberry, cherry and blackberry fruits, with an appealing tannic hint backed up by notes of lead pencil and minerals. Fresh, with just enough complexity to grab our attention. Needs food. NIS 79. Score 89. Domaine le Couroulu, Rose, Vin de Pays de Vacqueyras, Rhone, 2007: Orange-pink in color, this simple but delightful little ros? blend of Merlot and Syrah shows cherry and raspberry fruits on a crisp background, with just the barest hint of white pepper that floats in on the finish. Nothing complex here, but oh, what a fun wine for a hot summer morning, afternoon or evening. Drink now. NIS 50. Score 86. Chateau d'Aqueria, Rose, Tavel, 2007: Rose-petal pink with a glimmer of orange, a medium-bodied rose with a tempting floral and fruity nose that opens to show generous cherry, red currant and raspberry fruits. A blend of Grenache, Clairette, Picpoul, Mourvedre and Bourboulenc grapes, showing a nice hint of cigar tobacco on the surprisingly long and generous finish. Drink now. NIS 76. Score 88. Chateau Belle-Rive, Rose, Loire, 2006: Made entirely from Cabernet Franc grapes, give this one a few minutes to open in the glass until the nose comes into its own and then shows appealing aromas of wild berries, heather and minerals. Ruby colored, showing generous wild berry and cassis flavors on a lightly spicy background. Crisp, lively and thoroughly refreshing. Drink now. NIS 63. Score 88. Chateau du Seuil, Rose, Graves, Bordeaux, 2006: Fresh and lively, a rose blend of Merlot, Cabernet Sauvignon and Cabernet Franc developed (perhaps surprisingly) in barriques for a short while to add depth and a note of complexity. With its tantalizing hint of spicy oak, the wine reveals fresh and dried berries and cherries, along with hints of green apples and stony minerals. An unusually muscular rose that will go as nicely with small cuts of beef as with grilled chicken, fish and seafood. Drink now. NIS 63. Score 88. Domaine du Closel, Chateau des Vaults, Rose, La Tentation, Cabernet d'Anjou, Loire, 2006: Categorized as off-dry but with only the barest hint of sweetness, this wine gets its liveliness from fine balancing acidity. Made entirely from Cabernet Sauvignon grapes, and showing red berries, cassis and a charming little hint of watermelon, this wine sits comfortably on the palate. Drink now. NIS 90. Score 88. Domaine Mejan-Taulier, Rose, Canto Perdrix, Tavel, Rhone, 2006: A blend of traditional Southern Rhone grapes (including Grenache, Picpoul, Clairette, Cinsault, Mourvedre and Bourboulenc), light rose-petal pink in color, showing a tempting array of cherry and raspberry fruits, supported nicely by hints of chalk and stony minerals. Crisp, clean and refreshing. Drink now. NIS 67. Score 87. Bookmark to del.icio.us   Seeds of the future An Israeli biofuel project using Africa's jatropha plant may end Mideast oil power. PFLP threat A Palestinian militant group vows to kill MK Lieberman to avenge Acre riots.

Read & React Bradley Burston: This year, this Jew is embracing Jihad Responses: 49 Jesse Jackson: Obama will rid United States of 'Zionist' control Responses: 16 Police arrest driver who sparked Acre riots for 'harming religious sensitivities' Responses: 294 Sources: Hamas has raised price of Shalit deal in wake of Kuntar release Responses: 101 More Headlines 22:13 IDF troops kill Palestinian fire-bomber near West Bank settlement 00:52 Hezbollah hails 'heroic' Arab fight in Acre against 'barbaric' assaults 19:30 Rice pledges to pursue Israel-PA peace until she leaves office 22:12 Labor MK Pines-Paz: New role for Barak in gov't is 'pathetic' 07:37 This year, this Jew is embracing jihad 00:09 Jesse Jackson: Obama will rid United States of 'Zionist' control 21:09 Israeli biofuel project could spell end of Mideast oil power 16:34 Palestinian group vows to kill MK Lieberman to avenge Acre riots 13:54 Syria formally establishes diplomatic ties with Lebanon 01:01 Woman dies in crash while driving pregnant daughter to hospital 16:50 Israel Bank Chief Fischer: This is not the end of capitalism 00:45 U.S. plan to pump $250b into banking system lifts Wall Street stocks 01:15 Acre group to partially reopen festival shut by clashes 20:06 Israel trip helps Brad Pitt shoot Angelina Jolie breastfeeding pics Previous Editions Select Day 14 oct 13 oct 12 oct 10 oct 09 oct 08 oct 07 oct 06 oct 05 oct 03 oct 02 oct 01 oct

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