Swill or Swell: Episode 34

Yes Way Rosé

Watch the Episode Here

Welcome to Swill or Swell, a weekly series where I taste grocery store wines and let you know if they’re worth the buck or just meant for the drain! 

CAVEAT! As you read this, please keep in mind that wine is subjective! This means that everyone enjoys different things and something I like might not be something you like and vice versa. I’ll be as objective as I can with facts about the wine’s quality, but in the end if your opinion differs from mine...that’s perfectly fine! Wine is only worth drinking if YOU like drinking it

LET'S INTRODUCE THE WINE

Today I'll be tasting the Yes Way Rosé. If you're anything like me, you've seen this bottle just about everywhere (grocery stores, Total Wine, etc). The label is intriguing and well designed, so I knew I needed to try the wine to see if the work on the inside matched the work on the outside! I purchased this for around $12.99 at my local Kroger QFC. 

YES WAY ROSÉ FUN FACT

Let's start by talking about the main grape found in this wine - Grenache:

• ​The grape originated in the northern region of Spain known as Aragon 
  
  • Known as Garnacha in Spain.
• It is one of the principal grape varieties for rosés in eight of the nine appellations that comprise the region of Provence (see more on the region below!)
  
  • This grape is a great blending partner and plays nicely with lots of other varietals.
    
  • It likes the climate in Provence: Hot summer days, cool nights, along with a touch of moisture that is almost always followed by a breeze to keep the leaves dry. 
    

Now let's talk about the region - Provence, France:

• ​Located in Southern France.
• Wine has been made here for over 2600 years, making Provence the oldest wine-producing region of France.
• Over 88% of Provence wine production is dedicated to rosé!
• Wines of Provence are typically created using assemblage techniques:
  • Varietals are fermented separately.
  • Once fermented, they are blended under the scrutiny of master winemakers.

WINE TASTING NOTES

Look: Pale to Medium Salmon
Smell: Not a lot of fruit on the nose at first. Primarily getting a lot of mineral, think wet gravel and chalk. I do get a hint of strawberry and maybe some floral notes as well.
Taste: Similar to the aromas, this wine lacks a lot of fruit flavor and stays in the minerality zone. There's a bit of a funky aftertaste
that reminds me of something chalky. Med+ acidity, med- alcohol, and a lighter body structure wise. 
Think:
Food Pairing - Definitely a wine I'd prefer to drink with food, I'd pair it with carnitas tacos or grilled shrimp!
Occasion - While I'm a fan of drinking rosé all year long, this is definitely a warm, hot summer day wine to me! Enjoy it straight out of the fridge when it feels like a sauna outside and you'll be happy.
Rating -  As much as I love a wine with minerality, this wine was missing something for me, causing me to rate this as swill!

Want to learn more? Check out my Instagram every Thursday at 5PM PST for a new episode of Swill or Swell! Have a wine you’d like me to taste? Write your request in the comments below or send me a message on Instagram!