Wine of the week: Charles & Charles Rose 2022
by Wine Curmudgeon Posted On
Quality wins out, year after year
Yes, the wine business makes me crazy. And then I get to taste a terrific cheap wine that reminds me why it’s worth all the aggravation.
In this case, it’s the Charles & Charles Rose 2022 ($12, sample, 11.5%). This pink from Washington state is terrific every vintage, doesn’t cost a lot of money, can be found in some supermarkets, and my Mom likes it. What more do we want from wine?
The blend for the 2022 is more typical of a rose than usual – about one-half syrah, one-third grenache, and the rest mourvedre. This puts it squarely in the Provencal style camp, though – as the tasting notes point out – it’s a lot cooler in Washington state.
That combination makes the wine just enough different from the 2021 so that any wine geeks paying attention can taste it and wonder how Charles & Charles does it at this price. It’s Provencal-like with barely ripe berry fruit, but there is an almost orange thing in the middle and a sort of savory finish. So yes, buy a case and keep it handy for Labor Day weekend.
Highly recommended and certain to return to the Hall of Fame next year, and perhaps show up on the short list for the 2024 Turner cheap wine award. Surprisingly – or not, given what’s going on with wine these days – there is still a fair amount of 2021 left. So don’t be afraid to get a bottle of each and do your own tasting. Why should the geeks have all the fun?