I’m not a huge fan of rosé because it’s usually one-dimensional. Many wineries use rosé as a dumping ground for grapes that don’t measure up for their more serious cuvees. But when you find a good one it’s worth crowing about. The Giba Rosato from Sardinia, made from Carignano (carignan), makes me take back some of the calumny I’ve lain on rosé.
The nose is remarkably expressive. Intense strawberry jam, grilled watermelon, and a wild, funky barnyard note surrounded by fresh floral and herb aromas give this an unusual profile. In the mouth it leaves a shapely first impression, then quickly launches a mineral burst that rushes to the midpalate and hovers there like a leaping ballarino anchored in its depth by a persistent seam of fruit and a bristly, textured foundation that only grudgingly gives way as the finish creeps into place, gently drying, the acidity bright and fresh without turning sour.
At over 3 years after vintage date, it wears its age well.
Exotic, a bit feral but so graceful in its heresies, both gritty and refined, sophisticated and demonic. Who ever heard of a demonic rosé? Buy this now. Here.
The elongated phrasing of Bjork’s It’s Not Up to You made the midpalate soar.
Notes: Native yeasts, stainless steel fermentation and maturation on the lees. One of the few European vineyards using ungrafted vines. Sulcis is an arid region in the southern part of the island.
Score: 92
Price: $22 (Purchase Here)
Alc: 12%
Exploring the Philosophy of Food and Wine 