Weekly Wine Review - French Rosé (Loire) - 2012 Noël Bougrier Rosé D'anjou

The hot summer continues - so does my quest for great Rosé wine to help beat the heat - while not breaking the budget.  For me, buying Rosé is about balance - spend too little and you may end up with a lesser quality that may be unpleasantly bitter, or just unpleasant.  Also, Rosés to me should be easy drinking, not complex, and therefore not somewhere to sink a lot of my wine budget.  I have had success in the $10 - $15, and continue looking for good options in this range. Today's wine is from the Loire Valley of France.

Wine: 2012 Noël Bougrier Rosé D'anjou

Region:  Anjou-Saumur, Loire Valley France
Grape Varieties: I could not find the information on grape varieties for this wine, but much Rosé D'anjou is made from Grolleau Noir, a grape found only in a very few regions.

Obtained from: Purchased at Total Wine & More

Price: $11.00

Wino4Life Category: Everyday Wine

Aeration before tasting: Just a swirl or two, no special aeration.

Cork Condition: Screw Cap - no defects or issues.

Appearance: Wine is clear, with a pinkish-red color that very much resembles watermelon.

Aroma: A pleasant aroma of red fruit and more red fruit - cherry and strawberry.

Taste: A bit sweet - but not over the top. Very refreshing.

The Grade: I give this one a B.  Not my favorite in this category and price, but a pleasant wine overall. The bit of residual sugar may make this a good match with spicier foods such as Chinese or Indian.  Any of your friends or family hold-outs from the White Zinfandel era? This wine may be a way to ease them into trying some better pink wines.