22nd
No Man’s Land Rosé
The 2006 No Man’s Land Rosé Melnik Thracian Valley, Bulgaria Damianitza 13% alcohol is an odd pinkish-orange color, with a subtle elegant nose that is delicately floral, backed by red fruit, ripe cherries, pomegranate, faint tropical fruit, traces of chalk and tamed herbaceous notes. The palate is surprisingly complex, offering ripe flavors of red cherries, plums and apples; good structure, crisp acids; but, with time in the glass, the long finish reveals lingering wood character, lending to cardboard. After a few more sips, however, the redolence dissipates. While I might not have wanted to bring this to Dan Fredman’s Tournament of Rosés celebration, and open my flanks to the likes of Bonnie Graves and Mark Mendoza, it can be had for $3.99 at Trader Joe’s. Bulgarian Rosé: who knew?
