Puech Haut - Prestige Rosé

Classification: AOP

Year: 2018

Alcohol: 13.5%

Grapes: 60 % Grenache, 40 % Cinsault

With the summer heat slowly fading away, and old man winter coming to bring more joy and happiness to 2020, I figured it was time to not only enjoy another rosé in the last few days of summer heat we may have, but also to finally pull out one of my few bottles of Puech Haut Presitge Rose. This was my favorite rosé when I was in France almost a year ago, and really changed my opinion on rosés. The real question though is... does it still hold up? Lets find out!

The scents to this are very floral and insanely fresh. They're almost perfume like scents. Sweet scents of strawberries and hints of watermelon and apple, and very light earthy and citrusy scents blossom in those trimmed nose hairs of yours (or mainly mine...). It smells like a bottle of summer waiting to be had, and it certainly took me back to the vineyards of Languedoc where I tried this. The initial taste is a slight acidic at first. There are some very very faint hints of pepper and citrus notes to kick off the flavours. Afterwards, there are quite a number of flavours that can be made here one they simmer into your mouth. Summer fruits galore: strawberries, apples, watermelon, and hints of peach and pear. There are some earthy and mineral notes to this as well, and light citric hints; the citric flavours lean more towards a strawberry overdose versus traditional citric flavours like lemon/orange/grapefrut. There are quite a nice range of fresh flavours for a rosé. The body decently full, especially for a rosé, but still insanely easy on the taste buds. The flavours in this one are quite bold and distinct, and feel more dominant on the taste buds compared rosés I've had. Despite all the sweet flavours I mentioned earlier, this one is not that sweet or sugary. The body is honesty probably more on the earthy side than sweet side. The summer fruits flavours really compliment the earthiness and freshness. The finish is fairly light and smooth. There are somewhat high in tannins, but I'm not complaining. There is a decent lingering of those nice summer fruit flavours, but there’s also a lovey floral and fresh finish at the end and also again some very very light spicy and citrusy notes at the end. The finish is a bit on the dryer side, perhaps especially for my tastes and for a rosé, but it doesn’t hinder the deeper flavours and body this wine gives nor the journey it puts you on. It’s still far from the driest wines I’ve had.

So does it hold up? Yes. In fact, I dare say its even somewhat better than i remember. Perhaps its because my palette is so elite and wide now that my flavour senses have increased significantly and I can better distinguish between good and bad wines, including rosés. A chunk of rosés I’ve had are fairly light and the flavours feel a tad watered down leaving me desiring more. That is not at all the case with this one. The flavours are much more distinct and feel a lot fuller in the mouth while still maintaining a light and smooth feel. On top of that, the flavours are quite diverse and very enjoyable. No ifs, ands, or buts... go out and find this before I clear out an entire store of their supply (I may have done that already BTW...). Even if you are not a rosé fan, I guarantee this one will leave some impact on you and may turn you into a rosé fan like me!

Pairings: This one is honestly good on its own, but I would pair it with light feeling foods like lean fish, lightly seasoned chicken, salads, and grilled vegetables.

Overall Rating: 5 Languedoc Crosses out of 5

Where to buy: https://www.liquorconnect.com/Products/Stores/775989

à bientôt, l'été (thats french for "See ya soon, Summer" #StillGotIt)