A rosé to kick all other rosés in the teeth

Santa Digna Cabernet Sauvignon Rosé (2008)
Miguel Torres
Cabernet Sauvignon
Central Valley, Chile

Right now, at this very moment, you should be utterly jealous not to be me...

This afternoon has been utterly fantastic. After a week of rain here in Cleveland we had the quintessential July 4th weekend. Sunny, not humid, clear blue skies, and puffy white clouds. This never happens in northern Ohio. This afternoon was spent having a potluck picnic with my ever-entertaining French language group (Bonjour Cleveland) and playing pétanque (similar to bocce ball, mais en français) in a large grassy field. I think my bald spot may have gotten a little too much sun, but other than that it was perfect.

That all said, the primary reason behind your necessary jealousness is that after all that, I'm now sitting at home - and yes it's still sunny - sipping on an utterly fantastic glass of Cabernet Sauvignon rosé from Chile. The perfect way to start winding down my evening.


I try not to be overly enthusiastic about anything - fantatics of any sort or typically best avoided - but I can not say enough good things about this wine from Miguel Torres, an outfit which originated in Spain. Stretching their roots to Chile, they've done a fantastic job of taking advantage of some primo grapes there. Back in February I reviewed a bottle of Les Jamelles Cinsault rosé from France, referring to it as "the manliest rosé" I'd yet tasted. To be quite frank though, this Torres could kick Jamelles' butt!

Appearance: Clear with medium+ intensity. Definitely darker/deeper than many a rosé - somewhere between rose and cranberry juice pink.

Nose: Just shy of being incredibly aromatic, the youthful aromas definitely jump out. Included are grapefruit, citrus, lemon, cherry, strawberry, very soft vegetal, and floral notes.

Palate: Dry wine with medium+ acidity, body, and alcohol. Each sip leaves your mouth watering, making for a very refreshing wine. Flavors are medium in intensity and make me think of cranberry, sour cherry, lemon, green apple, pineapple and other tropical fruit, and bell pepper - thank you C.S.

Aside from being completely delicious I think my favorite part about this bottle is the intense color. Given the methods of producing rosés - either bleeding off newly pressed juice from what will become red wine or by letting the juice sit on the skins for only a matter of hours - many of them are very light in color. Likewise they are typically lighter in body, simple, and just fun. This wine definitely has some body to it though and packs a punch where the word "typical" is concerned.

As an aperitif, paired with some salty snacks, or even with the right meal (thinking fresh tomatoes!) this is a definite summer fave. The acidity and youthfulness of this wine make it a perfect compliment to a warm day. At just shy of $10 a bottle you really can't beat the price either. So even if I have made you completely jealous, getting a bottle ASAP should even be well within Bernie Madoff's financial means. Well, perhaps not.

Cheers!