Lab rat here!
My partner and I gave this a try a few days ago and long story short - this is a very nice rose and a no brainer at either price available.
Let it cool in the fridge for a couple days before we opened it. It’s very pretty in the glass, almost a pale orange. On the nose I got nice wafts of strawberry and watermelon, and some very mild floral notes. She agreed on the berries, and said the nose made her think of picnics near the ocean.
Tasting cold we got very bright acidity, and mostly tasted Rainier cherry with secondary notes of apple, watermelon rind, and maybe a little peach on the finish. It has a rich mouth feel, and is drinking very nicely. As it warmed the acidity faded, along with some of the bright fruit but was still very enjoyable. Even as it warmed I never really picked up any alcohol, which is something I dislike in most roses I try.
I definitely liked this wine, and recommend to anyone who needs something refreshing this summer. Although I think it’s rich enough to go with dinner, I can see myself filling up a jar and bringing it with me on a nice social distanced bike ride.
Let me start by saying for reference that I am not a big rose drinker. I may go through a bottle or 2 in the summer and that’s about it. I’ve only found a few that I really enjoyed but when you don’t try many that is bound to be the result. On to the wine.
I let the wine sit for a day before trying it. Took it out of the fridge and poured a glass, knowing it may be too cold. It was a pretty salmon color and on the nose I got strawberries and not much else. The taste to me was of berries and maybe cherries. It had a good acidity level and was crisp and light. I let it warm a bit and got the same taste profile and it didn’t seem to get any more aromatic. It is fruity but dry and not sweet at all.
Overall I found it very enjoyable for a type of wine I don’t normally drink. It would be great on a hot summer day and I’m sure it would be a crowd pleaser. Thanks Alice and WCC for the opportunity to rat again!
As has become the Mulderbosch House style, our Cabernet Sauvignon Rosé is delicately colored, with subtle hues of pink and a touch of copper. The nose explodes with fresh aromas of sliced strawberries, and carries a lightly herbal note often associated with Cabernet Sauvignon.
Although vibrant and fresh, the palate also has fruit purity and concentration making this a serious example of the genre. The wine is well balanced, with a keen note of acidity running the length of its core, and a clean, delightful flurry of flavor on the finish.
Winemaking
Cabernet Sauvignon vineyards are managed specifically with the idea of rosé production in mind. Early picking dates result in naturally high levels of acidity and a bright spectrum of fruit flavors ideal in rosé style wines. Once pressed, the juice is handled as per Sauvignon Blanc, i.e. cool fermentation with aromatic yeasts to heighten the vibrant, zesty aromas and fresh mineral palate. Crucial to this style of rosé is early bottling in order to preserve the wine’s inherent freshness, followed by subtle rose petal aromatics and a crisp mineral note that holds it all together nicely.
Specs
Vintage: 2018
Varietal: Cabernet Sauvignon
Appellation: Coastal Region, South Africa
Alcohol: 12.5%
Included in the Box
6-bottles:
6x 2018 Mulderbosch Rosé of Cabernet Sauvignon, South Africa
Case:
12x 2018 Mulderbosch Rosé of Cabernet Sauvignon, South Africa
When Mulderbosch founder, Larry Jacobs, bought the farm in 1989 the community referred to the property as “vuilplasie”, Afrikaans for “dirty little farm”. Shortly after, he partnered with Mike Dobrovic, known as the South African Mr. Sauvignon Blanc, and together they cleaned up the property and planted the first vineyards. A (small) cellar was later built and the first set of wines were released: Sauvignon Blanc and Chardonnay. The dream was to produce wine, but certainly not just any wine; they had to consistently reflect innovation, creativity and excellence.
As an innovator, Mulderbosch was the first producer in the country to successfully create a barrel-fermented style of Chenin Blanc. Trailblazing the infant rosé category with our Rosé of Cabernet Sauvignon continued this thread of innovation. Today, Mulderbosch has achieved commercial success world-wide and has affirmed our identity as a producer of distinctive wines, representative of the soils and climate in which our grapes are grown.
Mulderbosch Vineyards is widely considered one of South Africa’s iconic wineries and has established a reputation for excellence. We are a tireless in our pursuit of making wines of the highest quality that honor our proud heritage and can be enjoyed by all.
Available States
AZ, CA, CO, CT, DC, FL, GA, ID, IL, IN, IA, KS, LA, ME, MD, MA, MI, MN, MO, MT, NE, NV, NJ, NM, NY, NC, ND, OH, OK, OR, PA, RI, SC, SD, TN, TX, VT, VA, WA, WV, WI, WY
South African Rosé from Mulderbosch Vineyards
6 bottles for $59.99 $10/bottle + $1.33/bottle shipping
Case of 12 for $99.99 $8.33/bottle + $1/bottle shipping
How much more are you saving by buying a full case?
(Note: Tax & Shipping not included in savings calculations)
2018 South African Rosé from Mulderbosch Vineyards - $20 = 16.66%
@KitMarlot Yeah I think conventional wisdom is the less than 1%, although many think perception of sweetness is closer to 0.4% to 0.45%. And as sandbarhappy notes, acidity and abv for that matter come into play. Anyway I was just posting directly from the websites I found to add a little bit of useful and/or useless information to the discussion
@kaolis@KitMarlot The spec sheet from the retailer for the 2018 calls it "off dry’ despite the RS. One of the rats describes it as “fruity but dry”. I’m still on the fence. I prefer the Virage over the Fossil Point previous CS offers.
We absolutely love the Virage Rosé offered here a few months ago and I believe is also a Rosé of Cabernet Sauvignon. Does anyone know how these would compare?
Hm… The 'Rats have me on the fence. I’m leaning away based purely on being supremely disappointed in their Sauv Blanc a decade ago (some enjoy a mouth FULL of grass, I am not among them) - I tend to hold grudges…
Lab rat here!
My partner and I gave this a try a few days ago and long story short - this is a very nice rose and a no brainer at either price available.
Let it cool in the fridge for a couple days before we opened it. It’s very pretty in the glass, almost a pale orange. On the nose I got nice wafts of strawberry and watermelon, and some very mild floral notes. She agreed on the berries, and said the nose made her think of picnics near the ocean.
Tasting cold we got very bright acidity, and mostly tasted Rainier cherry with secondary notes of apple, watermelon rind, and maybe a little peach on the finish. It has a rich mouth feel, and is drinking very nicely. As it warmed the acidity faded, along with some of the bright fruit but was still very enjoyable. Even as it warmed I never really picked up any alcohol, which is something I dislike in most roses I try.
I definitely liked this wine, and recommend to anyone who needs something refreshing this summer. Although I think it’s rich enough to go with dinner, I can see myself filling up a jar and bringing it with me on a nice social distanced bike ride.
@CruelMelody thanks for reporting - sounds refreshing
Let me start by saying for reference that I am not a big rose drinker. I may go through a bottle or 2 in the summer and that’s about it. I’ve only found a few that I really enjoyed but when you don’t try many that is bound to be the result. On to the wine.
I let the wine sit for a day before trying it. Took it out of the fridge and poured a glass, knowing it may be too cold. It was a pretty salmon color and on the nose I got strawberries and not much else. The taste to me was of berries and maybe cherries. It had a good acidity level and was crisp and light. I let it warm a bit and got the same taste profile and it didn’t seem to get any more aromatic. It is fruity but dry and not sweet at all.
Overall I found it very enjoyable for a type of wine I don’t normally drink. It would be great on a hot summer day and I’m sure it would be a crowd pleaser. Thanks Alice and WCC for the opportunity to rat again!
@suzanne17 thank you for the report. fun to hear your thoughts.
In for a case considering I live with a South African who only drinks rose!
Don’t know if accurate but grabbed some specs from a retailer site:
ANALYSIS:
alc : 12.5 % vol
rs : 4.7 g/l
pH : 3.33
ta : 6.0 g/l
so2 : 97 mg/l
fso2 : 41 mg/l
style: Off Dry
body: light
https://wine.co.za/wine/wine.aspx?WINEID=44638
I like their partner winery, Scullybosch, but this might be worth a try.
I’m sure I saw this just recently, somewhere else… Reverse Wine Snob?
@chipgreen just 2 days ago!
https://www.reversewinesnob.com/mulderbosch-cabernet-sauvignon-rose
2018 Mulderbosch Rosé of Cabernet Sauvignon, South Africa
Tasting Notes
91/100 Tim Atkin Report 2018 (UK)
3 1/2 Stars ~ Platter’s SA Wines Rosé Rocks 2018 – Double Gold
Winemaking
Specs
Included in the Box
Price Comparison
Not for sale online, $264/case MSRP
About The Winery
Winery: Mulderbosch Vineyards
Founded: 1989
Location: Stellenbosch, South Africa
Available States
AZ, CA, CO, CT, DC, FL, GA, ID, IL, IN, IA, KS, LA, ME, MD, MA, MI, MN, MO, MT, NE, NV, NJ, NM, NY, NC, ND, OH, OK, OR, PA, RI, SC, SD, TN, TX, VT, VA, WA, WV, WI, WY
Estimated Delivery
Monday, Jul 13 - Tuesday, Jul 14
South African Rosé from Mulderbosch Vineyards
6 bottles for $59.99 $10/bottle + $1.33/bottle shipping
Case of 12 for $99.99 $8.33/bottle + $1/bottle shipping
2018 Mulderbosch Cabernet Sauvignon Rosé
How much more are you saving by buying a full case?
(Note: Tax & Shipping not included in savings calculations)
2018 South African Rosé from Mulderbosch Vineyards - $20 = 16.66%
It would be nice to have that rs confirmed! Both rats said dry, but that could be bracing acidity masking the sugar.
@sandbarhappy definitely dry but very fruity
Here is the spec sheet from the winery on the 2019. RS is listed as 4.5, so if the wine style is consistent vintage to vintage good chance that 4.7 is accurate.
https://mulderbosch.co.za/downloads/Mulderbosch_Cabernet_Sauvignon_Rose_Spec_Sheet_2019.pdf
@kaolis I think that RS=4.5 g/l is about 0.45%, and my understanding is that any wine with RS<1% is considered dry.
@KitMarlot Yeah I think conventional wisdom is the less than 1%, although many think perception of sweetness is closer to 0.4% to 0.45%. And as sandbarhappy notes, acidity and abv for that matter come into play. Anyway I was just posting directly from the websites I found to add a little bit of useful and/or useless information to the discussion
@kaolis @KitMarlot The spec sheet from the retailer for the 2018 calls it "off dry’ despite the RS. One of the rats describes it as “fruity but dry”. I’m still on the fence. I prefer the Virage over the Fossil Point previous CS offers.
We absolutely love the Virage Rosé offered here a few months ago and I believe is also a Rosé of Cabernet Sauvignon. Does anyone know how these would compare?
@pseudogourmet98
iirc, that was a Rosé of Cabernet Franc.
/giphy homeless-deeply-pet
Hm… The 'Rats have me on the fence. I’m leaning away based purely on being supremely disappointed in their Sauv Blanc a decade ago (some enjoy a mouth FULL of grass, I am not among them) - I tend to hold grudges…
/giphy futuristic-needless-pocket
