The La Coqueluche Rose’ 2017 is a $5.99 Trader Joe’s exclusive designated an IGP or a Vin de Pays D’Oc wine sourced from vineyards in the Languedoc region of southeastern France. French wine regions have governing bodies that issue strict rules and regulations concerning the farming of the grapes and the production of the wine, IGP and Vin d’Pays wines have less strict rules and regulations and are common in the less expensive wines which are made to exported to places like the US (they are sometimes a little more American in style than French, but not always). Trader Joe’s does not offer any information on this Rose’, such as which grapes were used, so the wine in the bottle will have to tell its story. This Rose’ comes in a nice jug bottle and the label features a rooster wearing a fancy suit, but then things get weird. The back label says La Coqueluche translate to “the favorite“, but if you search with Google you will find page after page of French language medical instructions concerning Whooping Cough, maybe not the best thing to name your wine. This is a $5.99 Rose’ and Trader Joe’s being Trader Joe’s, this was nowhere near the least expensive Rose’ they offered, there were at least 4 or 5 Rose’ that were under six bucks. That makes Trader Joe’s your very cheap Rose’ superstore. The alcohol content is 12%.
The color is pink with a good deal of amber tint. The nose is floral and fruity, ripe peaches, pears, and apples, along with lemon chiffon and lime. This is a soft, smooth Rose’, maybe a touch sweet, but nectar sweet, not sugar sweet. It tastes of strawberry, juicy peach, watermelon and apricot, with a slight brush of minerality. It is not a complex Rose’, but what is there is rather tasty. The acidity is slightly pulled back, some Rose’ will have you smacking your lips from the acidity, not this one. The finish is bright and lasts awhile.
The La Coqueluche Rose’ 2017 is a perfectly fine $5.99 Rose’, an excellent every day, backyard/patio/balcony pink, hot weather sipper. It is crisp, refreshing and fairly close to delicious, if it had more depth and complexity it could give the more expensive Rose’ a run for their money. As it is, it is all you can ask for in a $5.99 Rose’, just ignore the Whooping Cough stuff.
