Manissy . Castle Tavel Cuvée des Lys 2020, 14 percent, $20
Tavel’s dark, potent rosés in the southern Rhone valley aren’t everyone’s mouthful. They go better with a meal than as an aperitif by the water. But this bottle is an excellent example of a style of dark, strong rosé that was once popular, but a bit lost in today’s pale rosé world. A sort of pale maraschino color, this wine is 60 percent Grenache, 30 percent Clairette, and 10 percent Syrah. It’s dry, with just a hint of fruity and floral flavors and plenty of minerality. (Weygandt-Metzler, Unionville, Penn.)
Fabien Jouves Vin de France Rosé À Table!!! 2021, 12 percent, $23
Fabien Jouves makes some of my favorite Cahors wines under the Mas del Périé label. Under his own name he produces a range of natural wines such as À Table!!!, essentially an invitation to come and eat what you want to do with this dark rosé. It is made from malbec, the grape of Cahors, along with two other grapes common in southwestern France, tannat and merlot, all grown biodynamically. It is fresh and wonderfully complex, with earthy aromas and flavors of red fruits and flowers. (Zev Rovine Selections, Brooklyn, NY)
at Roca 2018 Classic Penedès Rosat Reserva, 12 percent, $23
AT Roca makes excellent sparkling wines in Catalonia, the wines that used to be called cava until many of the best producers stopped using the term, wary of the connotation of mass production. Roca has instead opted for Clàssic Penedès, an identifier for sparkling wines with strict regulations, including a requirement for organic viticulture. This rosat (Catalan for rosado, which is Spanish for rosé) is made like a champagne, with a second fermentation in the bottle. It’s bone-dry, floral and very refreshing. (José Pastor Selections/Llaurador Wines, Fairfax, California)