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Villaviva rose answers call of spring

Occasion: Spring has sprung for real — at least in our part of the country — and that means it’s time to break out the rose wines. The southern French varieties of grapes such as syrah, grenache — and in the case of this tasty Villaviva, carignan — make for the perfect, pure rose wines. Found in the Cotes de Thau appellation along a famous string of lakes, the vineyards are planted on fossilized oyster beds, limestone, gravel and quartz soil, and benefit from a sunny and dry climate. Being so close to the Mediterranean, this is the perfect seafood wine. The price is nothing short of superb, and you’ll enjoy this fresh, young and vibrant wine through the summer.

Wine: Villaviva Rose Cotes de Thau

Grape: Carignan

Region: Cotes de Thau, Languedoc, southern France

Vintage: 2015

In the glass: Villaviva wine is a faint antique-rose color with streaks of light salmon pink, a clean, crisp looking wine, with medium-high viscosity and good bright orangey-pale to clear rim definition.

On the nose: There are soft bright cypress notes, with fresh red stone fruits, strawberries, red currant juice, crushed cranberries, fruit-driven minerals and touches of hibiscus tea.

On the palate: The wine is fruity and lively, with just a touch of upfront sweetish strawberry coulis, then white cranberry juice without the sugar, pomegranate seeds, currants and no trace of wood; very clean and bright. The midpalate is rounded and zesty, but shows nice balance between the fruit and acidity and has a charming element of dryness that leads to a fine, dry, fruit finish, but utterly soft and pleasant through the end. Just delicious.

Price: $5.99

Availability: Lee’s Discount Liquor

Gil Lempert-Schwarz’s wine column appears on Wednesdays. Write him at P.O. Box 50749, Henderson, NV 89106-0749, or email him at gil@winevegas.com.

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