TN: 2008 Domaine Tempier Rosé

Light Salmon-colored, Light-to-Medium bodied, but delicate. Honeydew on the nose,then ripe Canteloupe. You also get a whiff of chilled carnations and roses. Perfumey. No heat. Sleek and silky. A wee-bit buttery with a lingering finish. I have had Francophiles disway me from buying this wine in the past, strictly because of its price (“Don’t spend that much on a Rosé!.”), but now after having it, I understand.

One of the many Rosés I hope one day to try - almost picked some up last time I was at HiTime, actually…

Never had a Tempier Rosé. I’ll have to try one sometime.

I buy and drink Tempier rosé all the time. It goes for around the equivalent of $43 here - expensive for a rosé, true enough - but for the sheer pleasure it brings, $43 is a small price to pay.

We are fortunate to get one of the few cases of the Tempier Rosé here in Ontario. Its our official summer wine (but plenty is kept for the winter months too). I’m my opinion, it is rosé in colour only - it’s simply a really great “wine”, made by a wonderful family-run operation in a romantic part of France. Works for us.

Veronica, did you like the way it paired with the BLT? That’s one of my favorite Tempier pairings, but it’s pretty versatile and we’ve enjoyed it with all sorts of meals.

Melissa! Thanks for the recommendation on the D.T. with BLT.
Yes, I liked how the wine went with the smokiness of the bacon (Black Label Hormel, that was the best I could find at my store), and also how it accentuated the fresh tomatoes. Delicious!

My thoughts on it are almost identical to Veronica’s with the melon, flowers, and I also found some sweeter cotton candy elements as well. But it is all in perfect, silky smooth balance. I had it at an offline not too long ago, but unfortunately it was gone before I could get another shot at it. For $20 for the 375, it’s not a terrible QPR. I dunno if I could shell out the $40 for the 750, though.

“For a rose . . .” seems to be the major objection to this bottling. Not that it isn’t good, its that most folks feel rose should be less.
I say to look at it like LMD; its a lovely Bandol, that just happens to be pink. Much like the fabulous Rioja I had last night, that just happened to be a brassy/copper color (from Lopez de Heredia).
Best, Jim

I was fortunate to taste the '05 more than a few times and it was absolutely stellar. IMO the best vintage! While the '07 and '08 are great I feel they lack the true “melon” signature of the '05 both in the nose and on the palate. This is consistently my “go to” rose when I can find it.

Had 2 other Rosés recently, and they were just not the same.
It’s Tempier all the way.

You know when to open the next bottle…

I have tons of the stuff here, Todd, if you ever decide to visit to Manila. I have other nice stuff as well.

I’d LOVE to visit you in Manila, LMD!!!

Simply being a fly on the wall at one of your dinners is reason enough!

My plebeian, vulgar, unsophisticated, redneck palate finds a weak price-to-quality relationship between two wines: roses and sparklers.

I enjoyed the 08 Tempier I had a month or so ago and the color was spectacular (the painter in me talking) but I still found myself scratching my head to see its value compared to any number of other roses that can be found under $20. Similarly I enjoy when someone else opens a top Champagne or sparkler but I’ll take a Gruet, basic Anderson Valley Roederer or the Grognet Brut Blanc de Blancs when it’s on my nickle. (I’ll admit I’ve never had a tip-top vintage DP or equivalent.)

Then again I can’t understand buying an expensive car either. A lack of sophistication has its advantages!

Chris, Consider yourself lucky.

Tempier undergoes malolactic fermentation. Not sure how many other Rosés are made that way, nor am I sure if that’s why people seem to prefer it over other Rosés.

Todd, next time I do open a bottle, I will have you on my speed dial.
Cheers!

I can’t stand roses with residual sugar - it ruins the whole experience [and the Tempier I had earlier this summer fit the bill - big, hot, sweet - blecch].

I’d much rather sip on a very light-bodied, off-pink, dry red, from, say, Puzelat [or, if I had the $$$s, Rene Engel], and pretend that it’s a rose.

Can’t keep 'em around the house in the summer. In the cooler and then…gone! A lovely summer wine that pairs very well with lots of lighter fare.

I find Tempier and most Bandols for that matter to be bigger richer style of rosés that you don’t get from most places. They are different wines but there are also tons of variations in styles of rosés so comparing them is usually fruitless, no pun intended. Tempier has really pushed to the point that it’s QPR is a bit over the edge for me though. I’ve enjoyed other Bandols at half the price that are very close in quality. They deserve to cash in on their name but let’s not think they are ultra unique.

Well said Chris, I bought into the hype for a while '05 thru '07 and while a nice Rosé it isn’t the end all that people make it out to be for $40 there are a lot of things I would rather buy, having said that I think everyone should try at least one bottle.