2016 Tavel Rose Reine des Bois

The 2016 Tavel La Reine des Bois is among those at the very top of the appellation. It's full-bodied, ripe and rich, marrying ample fruit with complex spice notes and a wonderfully silky texture.

The 2016 Tavel Cuvee de la Reine des Bois is another gorgeous Rosé, and if I had to pick just one Rosé to drink for the rest of my life, this would be it. Similarly colored to the La Dame Rousse, it offers perfumed notes of strawberries, raspberries, fresh flowers and hints of wet stone in a medium-bodied, textured, elegant style that just begs to be drunk.

Limpid orange. Vibrant and expressive on the nose, displaying cherry, blood orange and floral scents and a building mineral note. Sappy red currant and bitter cherry flavors flesh out slowly with air, picking up a hint of fennel on the back half. The finish hangs on with impressive tenacity, leaving behind bitter orange pith and cherry pit notes.