An ideal pairing with a Malbec Rose

This summer Costco had a Crios 2008 Malbec Rose for $9. Parker gave it 90 points, so I tried it, liked it and bought a few bottles. It was a typical nice rose. Refreshing with nice acidity and some sweetness among the light strawberry and watermelon notes. It's now Sept and we've had some hot days. So my wife opened the rose.

And I've just found the pairing to make this rose sing. I get aromas of caramel, lightly roasted coffee, and sweet tar notes from this rose. It really smells like a red. And it tastes almost like a red in the finish. Very interesting. What is this magical catalyst for the rose?

A Spanish granache.

The Montgo 2006 Garnacha Calatayud Flor del Montgó Old Vines (WS 87, $10 WC) which has the taste I like. Namely it resembles a Cote du Rhone in a style I like with purple fruit, a bit of acidty and a hint of minerality.

And what the granache giveth, the malbec taketh. After having the rose, the Spanish granache tastes a bit flabby. But it's a worthwhile sacrifice, as a rose has never tasted better and has a complexity I've never had in a rose before.

And now I'm sipping one wine, just to make another wine taste better. That's a first.