Frank Grassmann (left) General Manager of THE NAI HARN Phuket, James Suckling (centre) CEO of JamesSuckling.com and Jack Suckling (right) at the BEST ROSÉ for THAILAND awards ceremony
The Nai Harn Phuket hosted global wine critic James Suckling for the fourth annual edition of Best Rosé for Thailand. The celebrated wine expert conducted two days of blind tastings to identify the best of the best pinks available in Thailand.
PHUKET, THAILAND – James and Jack Suckling, owners of the internationally acclaimed wine rating website JamesSuckling.com, selected Routas Coteaux Varois en Provence Rosé 2018 as “Best of Show” at the fourth annual Best Rosé for Thailand 2019 competition, hosted by The Nai Harn Phuket on Friday, May 3, 2019.
What makes a great rosé? “Drinkability and freshness”, explained James Suckling to the 200-odd consumers and trade professionals who gathered for the awards ceremony and gala event on Friday, May 3, 2019. We were looking for bright, characterful wines replete with aromas such as barely ripe nectarines or strawberries and cream and enough acidity to withstand the tropical heat of Southeast Asia — or a summer’s day in Europe or the US for that matter.
It’s worth noting that all of the top 10 this year were from 2018, the most recent vintage in the Northern Hemisphere.
Choosing the winner was difficult this year, as Italy put in a strong showing with Mastroberardino Irpinia Lacrimarosa Rosato 2018. This is a wine made near Vesuvius from Campania’s aglianico grape that we’ve been enjoying for decades. Close to a white in style, and with a light salmon hue, it shows a unique, peppery character that adds a layer of complexity to more familiar rose petals and fresh herbs. In fact, Lacrimarosa means ‘pink tear’ and is vinified much like a white with a straight pressing and low-temperature fermentation.
Nevertheless, James couldn’t resist awarding the top prizes to the Routas Coteaux Varois en Provence Rosé 2018. An exuberant rosé with wonderful aromatics, it showcases a sleek but serious persona. The estate, which belongs to Scottish tycoon and football club owner Sir David Murray, is waving the flag for up-and-coming Varois. It’s a slightly more continental, colder area than the less sheltered coastal reaches of Provence, and at around 400m altitude, Routas itself harvests up to one month later than many in the appellation. Made from the tested formula of cinsault, grenache and syrah, a small part is fermented in barrels.
A subplot to the rosé extravaganza was the sparkling segment, with the top five places up for grabs. Best of Show sparkling rosé was Jacquesson Champagne Dizy Terres Rouges 2011, a full-bodied, late-release 100% pinot noir akin to a bubbly red. Best Value was Goutorbe Bouillot Champagne Ru Des Charmes NV.
The Best Rosé for Thailand competition is part of The Nai Harn Phuket resort’s world-class wine programme, which includes a bespoke wine list created by the team at JamesSuckling.com. The 150 wines on the list are arranged based on their usage, style and personality. “It’s a wine lover’s list with excellent value and drinkability no matter the place or type of food,” says James Suckling. “It also includes a ‘rock star’ section with top wines by the glass served by Coravin, such as Château Montrose 2005.” After two days of intense tastings, all the best rosé wines and their suppliers received special recognition at a gala event and awards ceremony hosted by The Nai Harn at Reflections Rooftop Lounge, where guests were invited to taste all of the rosés in the competition, accompanied by gourmet snacks.
James Suckling (right) with Lapo Brogi, representative from the winning winery“Rosé wines are the ideal choice for Phuket’s tropical climate and we are delighted to partner with JamesSuckling.com to highlight the best pinks in the world,” said Frank Grassmann, General Manager of THE NAI HARN. “Our ongoing collaboration with James and Jack matches our goal to offer the very best cuisine and finest drinks to our guests, from Thailand and around the world,” he added.
Best Rosé for Thailand 2019 Winners
Still
Best of Show
Routas Coteaux Varois en Provence Rosé 2018, 93 points
Best Value
Routas Coteaux Varois en Provence Rosé 2018, 93 points
Top 10
Sparkling
Best of Show
Jacquesson Champagne Dizy Terres Rouges 2011, 94 points
Best Value
Goutorbe Bouillot Champagne Le Ru Des Charmes NV, 93 points
Top 5
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