The La Ferme Julien 2020 is a $5.99 Trader Joe’s Rosé wine made for them by Famille Perrin a large wine company based in the Southern Rhone Valley of France. Perrin has a similar Rosé named La Vielle Ferme Ventoux Rosé.
The TJs and the Perrin wine are sourced from the Ventoux appellation. The Trader Joe’s wine blend is Syrah, Grenache, and Cinsault. The Famille Perrin blend is Cinsault, Grenache, and Syrah. Typically the grapes in the blend are listed from the most to the least, so these 2 Rosé wines are similar but have different grapes percentages in the blend.
They both are young wines intended to be enjoyed sooner rather than later and while the 2020 vintage is the current one for Trader Joe’s, the Famille Perrin is already on the 2021 vintage. The Trader Joe’s Rosé is the less expensive but the other version is also well under ten dollars.
La Ferme translates to “the farm” which tells you that La Ferme Julien 2020 is intended as a simple “farmhouse” style wine. Nothing overly fancy, just a good-tasting Rosé. The wine is kept on the skins of the grapes just long enough to impart the desired color. The wine is fermented in stainless steel tanks. After fermentation, the wine is aged for a short time in stainless steel and then slightly fine and bottled.
“Fining” is the removal of solids from the wine, they use either an extract from egg whites (not vegan friendly) or minerals (vegan friendly) for the process. That they only slightly fined the wine suggests that solids in the La Ferme Julien 2020 were not a significant issue.
The La Ferme Julien 2020 is an extremely affordable, sub-Rhone Valley appellation wine produced by a major French wine company (they produce several top-quality wines including Miraval Rosé). The alcohol content is 13%.
The La Ferme Julien 2020 Tasting Notes
The color is a mix of apricot and pink, The nose is bright with a good mix of citrus and fruit, there is melon, lemon, soft spice, cherry, a hint of barnyard, and dried strawberry. The La Ferme Julien 2020 is dry with firm flavors and balanced acidity.
This Rosé tastes like a stew of ripe juicy apple, lemon, peach, and black cherry, with melon, and a slap of spice. The mid-palate mirrors the main body of the Rosé but adds a salty sensation and some raspberry. The acidity supports the flavors and sets you up for your next sip.
The Summary
- The La Ferme Julien 2020 is an excellent 6 buck Rosé.
- There is no reason to not have a couple of bottles in the refrigerator this summer, just in case.
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