Looking at wine through rosé-colored glasses

TASTING NOTES
After a sampling of over five dozen pink wines from McLaren Vale (Australia) to Montsant (Spain), our top 15 rosé picks, sorted geographically:

France
J.-M. Raffault 2005 Chinon rosé ($13, VOS Selections): Chinon rosé, made from cabernet franc in the Loire, is versatile and habit-forming. Raffault’s winning example is light, bright and compelling, with the key Chinon aromas — tobacco, cherry and pencil lead — in a different context than the usual red wines. Great acidity throughout keeps it lively, and the end is long and refreshing. A quintessential summer wine.

Chateau de Roquefort 2005 Cotes de Provence “Corail” ($15, VOS Selections): The name means “coral,” and that’s precisely the color of this wine grown at the edge of the famed Bandol appellation. Cranberry and fresh sea water dominate, with a subtly filling body and generously soft texture. Grabs you at the end with a second refreshing dose of fresh fruit. Grenache, syrah, cinsault, carginane and clairette.

Domaine de Mourchon 2005 Seguret rosé “Loubié” ($13, House of Burgundy): From a vineyard on the slopes near the southern Rhone village of Seguret. Pale and fruit-filled, with herbal undertones. Ripe and memorable, with a subtle texture. Cinsault, grenache and syrah.

Paul Jaboulet Aîné 2005 Côtes du Rhône rosé “Parallèle 45” ($10, Frederick Wildman): Jaboulet’s Rhône wines are always a solid bet, and the rosé this year is tart and fresh, a berry-filled break from the heat, with a vibrant herbal finish. Grenache, cinsault and syrah.

Plaimont 2005 Côtes de Saint-Mont rosé “Les Vignes Retrouvées” ($11, VOS Selections): From the core of the Gascony region, this wine’s name refers to a rediscovered parcel now reclaimed by a dynamic local co-op. Filled with fresh berry and white flower scents. Heady and yet somehow delicate, bright and tart from start to end, a perfect match for food. Made from cabernet, tannat and the obscure grape pinenc.

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