Domaine des Coccinelles Rosé

L's mother recently told us about an article that she'd read on the latest wine trend: apparently, wines with "critter" labels are hot sellers. Upon reading the article, my first thought was, "they can't be serious!" Certainly, I am attracted to fun and interesting wine labels, but I wondered: do I fall victim to this too?

The answer came later that night, when I discovered a bottle of wine that had somehow hidden itself in the back corner of our apartment-sized wine shelf. I'd bought this lovely Domaine des Coccinelles (literally "Field of Ladybugs") rosé earlier in the summer at Whole Foods.

Sure, I was attracted to the gorgeous colour, as well as the fact that the grapes are organically farmed (really, who wouldn't want to support an organic vineyard, especially at $9/bottle?). But the driving force behind this purchase was... you guessed it! The ladybugs on the label. I positively couldn't resist! After the first sip, I was glad that I didn't- this wine is light, refreshing, and easy to drink.

The label on the back says that it is "well balanced and fruity," with "a complex, rich bouquet of raspberry, cherry and spring flowers." I agree, though I would also point out that its smooth sweetness is tempered quite nicely by a tart, short-lived after-zing. What is an after-zing, you ask? For lack of a better allusion, I think I would compare it to eating a good grapefruit. You have the natural sweetness, of course, but with each mouthful comes a pleasing acid-tart bite on the tip of your tongue.

The label on each case of Domaine des Coccinelles says us that "Ladybugs (coccinelles, [cox-ee nell]) are a symbol of eco-friendly farming." Just one more reason to succumb to the allure of these tasty summer ladybugs!

*For those who are interested, the varietal composition is as follows: Grenache 40%; Syrah 30%; Mourvedre, Cinsault, Carignan 30%