One of my favorite California roses is Tablas Creek’s. Their powerful, light ruby-hued 2005 Rose (an 800-case blend of 62% Mourvedre, 28% Grenache, and 10% Counoise) possesses good underlying acidity along with plenty of blue and red fruit aromas as well as flavors. Tel. 805-237-1231; Fax 805-237-1314

The first of the highly anticipated ’05s are starting to appear, and to judge from this wine, west side Paso Rhones will be winners. The wine benefited from a cool vintage, allowing the Mourvedre, Grenache and Counoise long hang time, yet avoiding overly ripe fruit. Dark, fully dry, racy in acidity and full-bodied for a rose, this complex blush has an almost Pinot Noir-like weight.——S.H.(11/1/2006)—— 90