2017 Sud de Frank

The nomenclature, Sud de Frank, is a superb joke, playing on South of France, referring to Provence, and more, for its famous Rosés, prompting me to ask the question: is it possible to drink a bad Provence Rosé? And my answer: I think not!

The label’s jokiness resonates more with me, because Frank, a name that connotes a larrikin quality, was what and who my father, Frank, was exactly. Frank paid for a commercially screen-printed t-shirt for himself, with ‘Be Frank’ on the font and ‘I’m Frank’ on the back. That’s from a story I wrote, which is another story.

The 2017 Sud De Frank Rosé (and I only know it’s 2017 because the single shop-, not bottle, label said so) is made from Sav Blanc and Petit Manseng. Neither grape, nor, again, year, is mentioned on the label: most annoying is what I say, although completely in keeping with European practices where everyone knows where a particular grape variety is discretely, distinctly grown. But not here in Australia, I want to say, not here!

 In Australia, practically every grape is grown practically everywhere, although not to its best. Put the @#$$%^ year and the %$##@& grape on the label is what I say. And why a Rosé, you might ask, with Petit Manseng and Sav Blanc – white grapes. Frankly(!), I don’t understand/know. But the website for another wine I drank from a local bottle shop, the 2017 Blind Corner Blanc, a combination of ‘white’ grapes – Sauvignon Blanc and Semillon, and a hint of Chenin – says ‘white wines aren't actually white, unless someone has put peroxide in it or something’! I don’t’ get it.