| By :
Levi Reiss
Provence. While this lovely area is known for many of the finer things in life, great wine is rarely found on the list. But its checkered wine history didn't prevent me from trying this bottle produced in the Puget Ville area, part of the gold triangle of Cotes de Provence. La Sauveuse (the savior) refers to a local spring that is very welcome in an area in which water is often in short supply. So maybe this part of Provence has everything. OUR WINE REVIEW POLICY All wines that we taste and review are purchased at the full retail price. Wine Reviewed Domaine de la Sauveuse Cuvee Carolle Rose 2008 13.0% alcohol about $16.50 Let's start by quoting the marketing materials. A long-term organic producer, Domaine de la Sauveuse has also been increasingly incorporating sustainable agriculture and biodynamic ideas into its production techniques. So far, the winery has only received organic certification, but their passion for the other two schools of thought is deeply entrenched. This rose is filled with strawberry, cherry and citrus aromas and flavors. A terrific sipper, it is also a good match for a roast pork or grilled, herbed chicken breast. Our Quality Assurance Laboratory has determined that this wine contains 12 mg/L of free sulphur. And now for my review of this Cotes de Provence AOC wine which is made from Syrah, Grenache, and Cinsault grapes. At the first sips the wine was very fruity with soft acidity. And I thought of Provence. The initial meal was a boxed vegetarian lasagna with Ricotta and Mozzeralla cheese that I slathered with grated Parmesan cheese. The wine was sweet with refreshing acidity. It was round, somewhat lemony, and fairly long. The second meal consisted of zucchinis and onions stuffed with rice and lightly spiced ground beef on a bed of sliced potatoes. This rose had bright acidity. It faded and yet stayed, if you know what I mean. My glass held lots of strawberries and some sunshine. The final meal included home barbecued skin-on chicken thighs and wings that had been marinated for two days in a fruity Thai barbecue sauce, accompanied by potato patties and a fresh, garden-style tomato. With the wings the rose was bright and acidic. With the more flavorful thighs the wine was light and refreshing but not very flavorful. The acidic tomato softened the wine somewhat. Before tasting this wine with two cheeses I paired it with Matjes herring. The wine was freshly acidic and tasted of strawberries. Herring and strawberries may not seem to go together, but this was actually a good combo, slightly sweet with soft tannins. With Asiago cheese the Cotes de Provence was almost mouth filling. It was round and balanced with good acidity. With a Swiss Emmenthaler the wine was light, almost too light. It was overpowered by the cheese. Final verdict. I don't plan to buy this wine again. It was somewhat disappointing for the price. But it did come close. If you are committed to organic wines your decision may be different from mine.
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