Domaine La Suffrene Bandol Rosé Cuvée Sainte Catherine

Many years ago, I started an experiment to learn how long a rose of 100& Mouvedre would age, if made well. This is now past elementary descriptions for what wine becomes as it ages. Better 2nd day... straw, pressed flowers, lanolin, dried strawberries, this has a rich, waxy, satisfying palate with lean dry red fruit, useful tannic backbone, and soft, tho adequate, acidic balance. The finish leans toward cognac, aromatically & on palate, in a good way. I drank this …

Now 10 years in, the St Catherine is fully mature. It has a rich, waxy nose with suggestions of dried herbs, summer flowers and, later, subtle earth often associated with Mouvedre. The texture is full and satisfying, reminiscent of dried overripe strawberries. The acid yet carries through, balancing subtle elements of cognac in the finish. The wine's color has deepened to a dark rose pink sunset, just before twilight, and is thinning toward the edge of your glass. It remains …