Variety: Primarily Shiraz with a touch of Cinsault and Carmenere
Region: Central Valley, Chile
Cost: $11 (SRP)
Winemaker’s Notes: Vibrant strawberry-pink with pale rose tints. A rich bouquet of sun-kissed red berries and wild raspberries, backed with hints of spice. This flavorful rose’ is packed with fresh and fruity flavors of blackberry and raspberry, backed by a nice backbone of acidity, and a clean, dry finish. Enjoy with light summer dishes such as grilled tuna, cold pasta salads, and fresh cheeses like chevre and mozzarella.
My Review: It’s taken me a bit to get to this review, but not for the reasons you’d think (at least not completely those reasons) – I actually received three bottles of this wine to try which gave me a rare opportunity to try it in different settings to see what I thought of it. So I did just that – sipping on it by itself, pairing it with a light lunch, and pairing it with a dinner.
As for why it took me so long to review three bottles that I received back at the end of March? Well, the weather hasn’t quite been cooperating. I’m one of those people that loves rose’, but I don’t really hit my stride on it until the weather warms up, and the last grips of a cool Spring have been holding on here in North Carolina, meaning I’ve been spacing out my rose’ tasting far longer that I would like to have. Fortunately, as I sit here typing this, the sun is out and I think we may have finally turned the corner, meaning it’s more important than ever to get into my notes on this wine.
In the glass the wine was somewhere between salmon and a dark pink – the color your favorite white shirt turns when somebody throws in some reds without paying attention; not a baby pink, but not a dark pink either. On the nose I picked up plenty of raspberry with just a hint of spice as the wine opened up.
In the mouth the 2015 Casillero del Diablo Rose’ managed to balance nice juiciness and fruit flavors up front with a nice dry finish featuring a bit of white pepper – something I really enjoy in my rose’ this time of year.
Since I had three bottles I was able to try it in a variety of ways. While it’s certainly enjoyable enough to sip on its own, it also pairs well with food – I appreciate versatility in my wines, so that’s definitely a point in its favor.
Paired with lighter lunch fair the wine did well, but I wish I’d had a creamier, herbaceous cheese to try it with – something like a creamy goat cheese with herbs instead of the sharper cheddar I had on hand. For dinner I pair it against a pork chili verde my wife cooked up and the pairing was great, with the juiciness on the front of the wine pairing great with the heat of the food.
As we (finally) transition into warmer weather it’s the prime season to be enjoying the complex, refreshing flavors of rose’, and especially at the price point, you can do a lot worse than the 2015 Casillero del Diablo “Summer Edition” Rose’. Its versatility will be welcome, allowing you to easily transition from casual drinks to dinner on the deck with friends and family. While it might not boast the most nuanced flavors, it’s super approachable, and is a great introduction to those that think that all rose’ is sweet white zinfandel.
Editor’s Note: I received this wine as a free sample for review.
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