Chateau De Trinquevedel 2025 Tavel (Rosé), Rhone Valley

Tavel is more than just a rosé appellation:  it is France’s rosé statement.  It is the only region that is singularly given over to rosé wine, and has been so since the beginning of the AOC classification.  Since it is the southern Rhone Valley, it is bigger in size than its Provence counterparts, with a fuller mouthfeel and more substantial body, acting sometimes more like a light red wine than the pink trifles that fill Cote d’Azur glasses in summer. 60% Grenache, 13% Clairette, 13% Syrah, 10% Cinsault, 3% Mourvèdre, 1% Bourboulenc.

“This dark and vinous iteration from the southern Rhône commands the stage with its hearty presence. Ripe red berries and fine tannin make this Tavel an ideal match for a bistro burger with fries or a charcuterie and cheese plate. In terms of food pairings, you might look to this as you usually would a quaffable rouge from nearby (say, the Cotes du Rhone), but there’s a sheen and shimmer both in the glass and on the palate that sets it squarely in its own denomination.”—Allyson Noman, Kermit Lynch Imports