Marquis de Pennautier Cabardès Rosé 2009

Is it just me, or has the rosé wine bubble burst? Every year we hear that consumption increases by X%, and that it is more popular than ever. If that is the case, then why does my local Sainsbury's currently have the worst selection of rosé ever? It's 95% complete plonk. Waitrose has on offer a grand total of 4 wines, and those include Gallo and Blossom Hill (the other two aren't any better either). All this when we are well into what looks like to be a hot summer?

Defiantly, I marched to Majestic at Clapham South. They usually have a good selection of rosé - everything from Provence to Spain to New Zealand. Unfortunately, they had a poor selection as well - at least less than they usually have, and not all of them had the 'buy 2 save £X' promotion. However it was better than the supermarkets had to offer, so I took advantage of their new walk-in policy that allows you to buy only 6 bottles.

Cabardès is a tiny appellation in the Languedoc, only about 500 hectares. Interestingly, it is the only appellation that is allowed to blend Mediterranean varieties like Grenache and Syrah with Bordeaux varieties such as Merlot and Cabernet Sauvignon. What this means for the wine I'm not sure, but it certainly makes it more flexible for the winemaker.

So how is the wine? After 3o minutes in the freezer to chill it down from room temperature (these days about 25C), I thought it tasted a bit rough. After another 20 minutes or so in its freezer sleeve it went down a lot smoother. I wouldn't say it's going to be a favourite around here - the slightly bitter finish, like a lot of rosé, makes it pretty average.

Chateau de Pennautier

Marquis de Pennautier Rosé 2009

AOC Cabardès

Languedoc, France

Majestic

£6.99 (£4.99 when you buy 2)

2.5/5