Fortant Coast Select Grenache Rosé – Get To Know The Pink Drink

100% Grenache Noir from Vin de Pays d’Oc, Languedoc-Roussillon, France.

SRP of $13 and available for as low as $10. Sample submitted for review. Imported by Boisset Family Estates.

From the bottle:

“The leader in creating varietal wines from the South of France, Fortant is today pioneering a new vision for South of France terroir inspired by the search for distinctive personality and geography within this most diverse wine region. This coastal terroir, under the favorable influence of the Mediterranean climate, provides a unique location for viticulture. The ambient humidity and gentle sea breezes caress the vines whose roots plunge into soil composed of limestone and alluvial deposits that date back to the Quaternary period. This rose petal pink-hued wine offers a vivacious nose with notes of redcurrant and thyme. Delicate on the palate, revealing lovely citrus and red berry flavors and boasting a long fresh finish.

12.5% Alcohol”

Here at The Reverse Wine Snob we’re big fans of rosé and we believe everyone should drink more of it. Of course we often hear the objections like — “it’s too sweet!” (Today’s dry rosé offerings are nothing like the White Zin blush wines you might remember from years ago.) Or “I’m a guy, I can’t drink a pink wine!” (An issue we tackled here: Do Real Men Drink Pink?)

However, instead of answering objections today we would like to give you the reasons you should drink rosé. And the best way we know to do that is to introduce you to some of our favorites. So in addition to today’s wine, we’ve listed 10 more excellent selections below. Every one of these garnered either a Highly Recommended or Bulk Buy rating and every one of these are wines that we’d be happy to drink throughout the year.

Here, then, in no particular order are 10 of our favorite rosés under $20:

• Charles & Charles Rosé 2012 – Everything You Want In A Rosé
• Cline Cellars Mourvedre Rosé 2012 – Heat Wave Wine
• Monte Castrillo Rosado 2012 – The Lighter Side of Ribera Del Duero
• Sorelle Winery Bella e Rosa 2012 – More Than Your Typical Rose
• Douglas Green The Beach House Rosé 2011 – The Fruits of Summer
• And five more: Five Favorites – Refreshing Rosé! Five Refreshing Rosé Wines Under $20

And now to today’s review. The 2012 Fortant Coast Select Grenache Rosé begins with pleasant aromas of strawberry and other red berries plus a little sea salt and some light notes of dried herbs. Tasting the wine reveals plenty of fruit (mostly citrus and mixed berries), but it’s not too sweet at all. Perhaps the best part is the texture — the wine has a soft and round viscosity that’s quite enjoyable in the mouth. On the very long finish the mixed berry flavors turn tart and the sea salt from the nose returns. This is one tasty rosé for your springtime sipping!

Interested in finding out more about how rosé wines are made? Check out this post!

See a listing of local retailers selling this wine here.

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