French wine can be an expensive proposition. Top-shelf Bordeaux and Burgundy run into the hundreds per bottle on the low end, and into the thousands for certain collectible wines. Needless to say, out of the range of most to afford. Thankfully, other regions in France are more accessible to wine lovers, and at the forefront is southern France, and the Languedoc. Gerard Bertrand is a major player in this region, and exports a lot of quality wine to the U.S. not the least of which is Rosé.

If you haven’t seen the beautiful bottle of Cote des Roses in stores, you haven’t been looking very hard! It’s everywhere, and with good reason: it’s a unique, sculptured glass bottle that people tend to hang on to, because it’s beautiful. The bottom of the bottle looks like rose petals, and the top comes with an interesting glass stopper that is resealable. In this day and age, when most corporations are looking with a keen eye at the bottom line, constantly looking for ways to cut costs, you just don’t see interesting design like this anymore.

But eye-catching design doesn’t mean people will buy your wine. Does what’s inside the bottle pass muster? And if so, can I afford it?

The answer is Yes, and YES!

The 2018 Cote des Roses is delicious and affordable. A juicy blend of Grenache, Cinsault, and Syrah, this is a Rosé that will pair with almost anything, from chicken and seafood to light pork dishes. It’s very floral, with strawberry, lime and cherry aromas, and flavors of pink grapefruit, strawberry and raspberry, and a very dry, mineral finish. Best of all, this is a wine you can find everywhere for around $15, and often less.

On my five-cork scale based on taste and value, The 2018 Cote des Roses gets 3.8 corks. It’s a nice, easy wine, in a beautiful bottle, at a great price. It was also one of Wine Spectator’s Best Values of 2018! 

If you’d like to try interesting wines like this, please join me at our next private wine party at Walt’s Hitching Post, 3300 Madison Pike, in Fort Wright! I host a wine dinner there every month, and we feature several interesting wines, each paired with a delicious course. There are always cool prizes to win, too, so listen Wednesday at 4:15 to win your spot on the guest list, or click here for a chance to win!