Best Rosé in Thailand is One of Best Value in World?

For the second time in three years, Routas Coteaux Varois en Provence Rosé picked up both top awards — Best of Show and Best Value — at the annual Best Rosé in Thailand event in Phuket, this year taking top honors with its 2018 vintage. The winning wine sells for less than $15 a bottle in the United States.

It was a return to form for the world’s most famous pink-wine-producing territory as the host country failed to pull off another shock win following Thailand’s Monsoon Valley’s success last year.

In all, eight out of the top 10 still rosés hail from Provence, underlining how Provence clearly makes the most exciting rosés in the world at the moment.

James Suckling and Frank Grassmann, general manager of The Nai Harn luxury hotel in the south of Phuket Island, came up with the idea for the Best Rosé of Thailand in 2016.

The winning Routas Coteaux Varois en Provence Rosé 2018 flanked by Mastroberardino Irpinia Lacrimarosa Rosato and Chateau de L’Escarelle Coteaux Varois en Provence.

The Routas Coteaux Varois en Provence Rosé 2018 flanked by Mastroberardino Irpinia Lacrimarosa Rosato and Chateau de L’Escarelle Coteaux Varois en Provence.

All of Thailand’s importers are invited to submit both locally and internationally produced rosés, which must be currently available in the country, for assessment in a blind tasting organized by JamesSuckling.com.

This year – the fourth edition of the event – saw the highest number of entries ever at around 150 wines, proving that the initiative is helping to promote responsible and informed wine drinking in a country where the tax system for alcohol is punitive.

Rosé wine consumption rapidly growing

While not exhaustive, the event is also a useful microcosm of rosé at large. The category continues to outpace overall wine consumption worldwide and all of our top 10 are widely available. Even at The Nai Harn hotel sales of rosé have grown from just 10 percent of the total to 35 percent in two years.

What makes a great rosé? “Drinkability and freshness,” explained James to the 200-odd consumers and trade professionals who gathered for the awards ceremony and gala event last Friday.

We were looking for bright, characterful wines 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 United States for that matter. It’s worth noting that all of our top 10 this year were from 2018, the most recent vintage in the Northern Hemisphere.

Rosé doesn’t age well save perhaps Château d’Esclans’ Garrus (which due to its exorbitant price in Thailand didn’t feature) or a handful of others.

Jack Suckling with the Routas Coteaux Varois en Provence Rosé 2018.

Jack Suckling posing with the Routas Coteaux Varois en Provence Rosé 2018.

It was uncanny how easy it was to spot the 2017s when tasted blind against the 2018s. Even in the best cases, the glowing, pale bronze color fades quickly to a slightly off-putting amber yellow, while the vibrant stone fruit gives way to spicy but slightly candied citrus fruit.

Oxidised rosé is a particular problem in Thailand. Distributors, wary of sudden tax hikes, have an unfortunate habit of importing far more stock than they can sell within a year. Much of it sits around in warehouses that may or may not be temperature monitored or have proper humidity controls. Some companies were still submitting 2015s, or in one case a 2013! Needless to say, these were not in contention for a prize, and we won’t be publishing anything older than 2017 below.

Best rosé in Thailand revealed

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, we 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, all of which belies its bargain average price worldwide.

James and Jack tasting to decide the final winner of the competition.

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 a blend of cinsault, grenache and syrah, a small part is fermented in barrels.

A subplot to the rosé extravaganza was the sparkling segment, with five commendations up for grabs. Our Best of Show sparkling rosé was Jacquesson Champagne Dizy Terres Rouges 2011, a full-bodied, late-release 100 percent pinot noir akin to a bubbly red. Best Value was Goutorbe Bouillot Champagne Ru Des Charmes NV.

Do seek out some of the wines on the lists of winners below. The Nai Harn is selling more rosé from our annual selection than anything else on our specially curated wine list. But you don’t need a pearly white beach with palm trees and turquoise waters to enjoy them! — Jack Suckling, Contributing Editor