Abbaye Notre-Dame de Sénanque surrounded by rows of lavender in Provence.

Abbaye Notre-Dame de Sénanque surrounded by rows of lavender in Provence.
© Shutterstock

Meet the Winners: Global Rosé Trophy 2022

Falstaff shone a spotlight on the success of rosé wines in our latest magazine, so we felt compelled to put them to the test as well.

While we of course assessed the rosé wines in a blind tasting and looked for expression – be that intense or subtle – harmony, freshness, balance and tension, seeing such an array of pink hues was a pleasure to behold, a joy for the eyes. 

The entries reflected the fact that pink wines are made across the globe: we had entries from Australia and California, from England as well as various regions of France and Spain. We had wines made from Grenache, Merlot, Pinot Noir, Tibouren, Cinsault, Mourvèdre, Syrah, Carignan, Viura and Tempranillo – and various blends of these. The stylistic spectrum was just as wide: from subtle, fruity and super-fresh aperitifs with zingy acidity to rounder, textured wines. 

Our winner was a perfect rendition of a popular classic: a superior Provençal rosé that had been fermented and matured in oak – without any of the oak flavours being overt. On the contrary, it was the tension, purity and texture of Mas de Cadenet Grande Garde Rosé 2020 that convinced us. Made from Grenache and Syrah, it ticked all the boxes – and once revealed was indeed road-tested again with food.

Our second and third places, however, went to much deeper-hued wines: Bodega San Valero Particular Garnacha Rosado 2021 and Castillo de Perelada Gran Feudo Rosado 2021. Both are from Spain, both made from Garnacha – one of them with an addition of Merlot. Here it was the sheer intensity and boldness of fruit that convinced us: such beautiful delineation of berry and cherry, subtle texture, slender body yet much fruity depth that gave such lasting pleasure.

These wines will simply do anything: take you from apéro via starter to hearty grills – and then right through those sultry summer nights. So go on, live la vie en rose.

The top three in detail

  1. 2020 Mas de Cadenet Grande Garde with 93 Falstaff points
  2. 2021 Bodega San Valero Particular Rosado with 93 Falstaff points
  3. 2021 Castillo de Perelada Gran Feudo Rosado with 93 Falstaff points

READ ALL THE TROPHY TASTING NOTES HERE

Blind tastings are an integral part of every magazine that covers wine. At Falstaff, both in our quarterly print editions and online at falstaff.com, we feature themed wine competitions – which we call “Trophies” – to pitch wines against each other under a common theme, be it varietal, regional or stylistic. 

Next up: Falstaff International Best Value Pinot Noir Trophy and Falstaff International New World Sparkling Trophy

Falstaff's upcoming Trophies are themed around two perennial favourites: the Best Value Pinot Noir Trophy, for single varietal Pinot Noir wines from around the globe, retailing at no more than £25: we want to taste your most affordable Pinot expressions from anywhere in the world. And, in time for the party season, we also want to assess and crown the best new world fizz in our New World Sparkling Trophy. Watch this space for registration details!

Anne Krebiehl MW
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