For few dollars more, rose takes a nice turn

Rose may be the most under appreciated wine in America.

Rose was my first experience with wine, and it wasn't all that good. My first bottle (as a teenager) was cheap and sweet.

This grape can produce a refreshing wine to drink by itself or with lighter foods such as fish or chicken.

There are some inexpensive and sweet rose wines on the shelves, and there are some dry, fruity wines for sale in a wide range of prices.

The wine-tasting group compared rose wines ranging in cost from $5.99 to $25 in a blind tasting. Here is what we found:

-- NV Cristalino Rose at $9.99.This Spanish wine had a coral color and an aroma of lemon and other citrus plus a lot of alcohol. It was juicy in the mouth with a taste of plum. It was well-balanced and easy to drink at this price. It finished second in our tasting.

-- NV Mountain Dome Brut Rose at $24.99. The Mountain Dome had a peach color and an unusual aroma of savory spices. In the mouth, we tasted strawberries, nuts and minerals. It had a slightly bitter taste.

-- Cook's White Zinfandel at $5.99. This wine had a purple-pink color. The aroma reminded us of raspberries. It tasted sweet -- cloyingly sweet -- like a watermelon Jolly Rancher. Lovers of white zinfandel might appreciate this wine.

-- Mumm Napa Blanc de Noirs at $22.99. This wine had a pretty salmon color. The aroma suggested strawberries and minerals. On the palate, it had a good acidity and balance, with lemon zest flavors in the finish. This was my experts' first choice. The Mumm was clearly our favorite. If it is too pricey, try the Cristalino.

Surfing the wine shelves

-- 2001 Sebastiani Cherry Block Cabernet Sauvignon at $75. The winemaker says this vintage made so powerful a cabernet, he had to soften it with some merlot and malbec. It was still a big wine, full of ripe, black fruit and licorice, with hints of wood.

-- 2003 Annie's Lane Riesling at $14. The aroma was full of citrus fruit and hints of minerals. In the mouth, we tasted lime in creamy texture with good acidity. The finish was long and crisp.

-- 2002 Cuvaison Estate Selection Chardonnay, Carneros, at $34. This wine was essentially a reserve for Cuvaison, made with a bold, full body. The tastes suggested citrus, peaches and a hint of sulfur.

-- 2002 Jacob's Creek Shiraz-Cabernet Sauvignon at $7.99. If you are looking for an inexpensive bottle of red, this might be a candidate, with its berry, cherry and plum fruit and easy-to-drink texture.

-- 2002 Banfi Col-di-Sasso at $9. This wine was a blend of 70 percent cabernet sauvignon and 30 percent sangiovese. It reminded us of fresh cherries and red berries. Its acidity made it a good food wine.

-- 2003 Pepi Chardonnay at $8. This aroma offered bright, fresh fruit, and on the palate, the wine was light-bodied, crisp and clean.

-- 2001 Gallo of Sonoma Cabernet Sauvignon at $13. Wood came through first in both the aroma and taste. It was solidly backed with engaging fruit flavors of ripe boysenberry, cassis, tobacco and cedar. The fruit was well balanced with tannins that landed in a smooth, medium finish.

Questions may be sent to Frank Sutherland, editor, The Tennessean, 1100 Broadway, Nashville 37203, or e-mailed to editor@tennessean.com.