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Liquid Refreshment

Many rosé wines from the South of France tend to be dry, often mainly Syrah, but Mouvedre and Grenache factor heavily enough. Languedoc-Roussillon is the largest growing region around here, on the Med, and the largest in France.

So, quality is often iffy when you don’t know the producer, the soil, the microclimate, you know, all the things you aren’t going to know.

So, find a negociant. That is, some French guy who drives around, drinks a wine, and says, “Yeah, this is good,” then takes it and sells it. But not after putting his name on the bottle.

Case in point: Went into a wine shop after seeing a bottle of Languedoc rosé with Gerard Bertrand’s name on it. Wanted to buy that wine, but the store was out. So, for the same price — £6 — purchased another Gerard Bertrand, a Roussillon. Huh? Exactly. What?

I think it will still sourced from the South of France, only way south, in the Basque regions, because of the tell-tale red and gold striped flag on the label.

The 2006 Sang & Or is tarty and full-bodied. Hint of watermelon. An unpleasant hotness from inharmonious alcohol levels. Smells crisp and delicious, finishes dry, way dry: 8.3, which is good for a rosé.

Come to think of it, a good red wine to chill would be the 2004 Wolf Blass Cabernet Sauvignon, for around £7. Cedar and dill will flourish with a little chill. The hard-nosed alcohol edge and grapiness will diminish:8.5, much better than the 2003, BTW.

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