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26th March 2020
Time to drink the good stuff like there’s no tomorrow* #8
Domaine de la Suffrène ‘90’ Rosé 2018
Bandol, Provence 13.5%
I firmly believe that Suffrène is one of the best producers in Bandol. Not as famous as Tempier, Pibarnon and Bégude, obviously, but consistently producing certainly among the best rosés, and fresh modern reds and whites too.
I am the Provence panel chair for the Decanter World Wine Awards, and year-in, year-out this property walks off with gold medals a-plenty. (In fairness not everyone enters).
With 40% Mourvèdre (and the rest a blend of all the usual Provençal varieties) the wine is - relatively - deep in both colour and flavour, and as many (although only the best) rosés do, has really benefited from an extra year in bottle. Dried sweet Asian five spice and liquorice aromas, with juicy redcurrant fruit flavours. Pink grapefruit and a pith-y edge from the skin, neither tannic nor bitter, but structural and flavour-enhancing. A dry but very rich finish completes the picture (2018 was a warm year). There’s a salinity and slightly savoury cut to the palate, making the wine lipsmackingly moreish. Lovely.
Looking forward to the 2019, but I would not be upset to have a few more of these in my cellar (sadly I don’t).
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*There might be no tomorrow.
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