weekday wines – a south african rosé
Our weekend started off on a great note at our local wine shop, the Wine and Cheese Gallery, celebrating their 37th birthday with a fantastic wine dinner. There were some great items on the menu, but my favorite was an asparagus bisque with pancetta and a seared scallop. The two top wines of the night were a Caymus Cabernet Sauvignon and a Turley Zinfandel.
But, I’m not going to tell you about those wines. I’m going to tell you about the $11 bottle we picked up on the way out.
I’ve been trying to learn a bit more about rosé wines, so when we left the dinner Friday night, I asked our friend Wade to recommend something. Wade also happens to be one of the owners of the Wine and Cheese Gallery, so with his at 37+ years of experience, I trust his recommendations. He handed me the 2009 Mulderbosch Cabernet Sauvignon Rosé. And for $11, I really had nothing to lose.
I had intended the rosé to be opened one weeknight, but the weekend got a bit crazy after we got home Friday night. My daughter, Madeline, busted her little brother’s lip with a toy – a minor trauma with a lot of blood that nearly sent us all over the edge. Then, an unexpectedly severe thunderstorm cropped up and our house – or somewhere very nearby – was hit by lightning. A powersurge fried our refrigerator, my husband’s desktop computer, and our phone and internet. We spent the weekend dealing with the thawing mess in our fridge and freezer and waiting on cable repair people.
Needless to say, the wine was opened Saturday. I waited until around 6pm, but we were tempted to open it up around 11am that day.
And the wine was really very good. It’s not complicated, this rosé, but that’s what makes it a great wine for drinking before dinner – or with dinner, or after dinner. It was dry with a nice minerality to it, beautiful strawberry pink color, and I tasted berries (strawberry, maybe, or cherry?). For the price, it’s definitely a rosé worth keeping in the fridge. Once the fridge is repaired, that is.
I have many fond memories at the Wine and Cheese Gallery in Gainesville. I used to have lunch there with my Grandmother whenever she was in town.
I also love love love rose. I’ll have to check it out.
we do love a nice rose’, fond memories of enjoy a glass of rose’ in Aix….sigh…..and in Sorrento….we always look for them, you tend to find the better ones in the summer…..
thanks for sharing your experience…and it goes to show you it doesn’t have to be expensive to be good!!
This story made me smile. Really lovely photos.
This is one of my favorite wines. I love the how it has a hint of peppery bite to it – keeps it from being too sweet. Very refreshing, too!
I do love a good rose but think that it’s image is still suffering from the popularity of Mateus Rose in the 70s LOL though I have to say that one wasn’t exactly a terrible wine either! The Muldersbosch sounds absolutely perfect as an everyday, almost any time wine, and I’ll certainly be on the lookout for it now. Thanks for the heads up 🙂
One of my faves for a few years running; I always stock up!
I just wish I’d bought more than one bottle. Back to the store I must go…
Mulderbosch is my absolute favourite rose… Perfect for sweltering summer afteroons.
Robyn