Can I Feed Roses With Wine
It might seem cliché — rosé for Mother's Day, however, it's one that is hard to deny. Rosé sales have doubled in the U.S. over the last few years, and with the temperatures heating up, more sales are predictably ahead.
However, there are still those who shun rosé, dismissing the pink wine as unsubstantial. While it's true that many are flabby, sweet or even boring, you can say the same for wines across the board, even the revered Napa cabernet.
Rosé is made several ways producing different results.
The Saignée method means, "to bleed." After red grapes have been in contact with the skins for a desired amount of time, a portion of the juice is bled off.
While the red wine is more concentrated, the pink juice becomes a byproduct that often needs to be manipulated to achieve things like acidity. Some wine lovers find this method less desirable than growing and picking grapes specifically for rosé for direct pressing.
I drank the lion's share of rosé on a recent trip to southern France, and while Provence gets a lot of press, Languedoc produces more rosé than any region in the country.
Then there is Tavel, in the Rhone Valley; rosé is the ONLY wine made in this small village. There are pink bottles everywhere. It almost makes me giddy. These wines are substantial in structure.
Les Vignerons de Tavel Cuvee Royale (under $20) has the deep color of cranberry juice and I would easily put it next to a light red. We had it for dinner with veal. Made mostly from Grenache, it also includes smaller percentages of seven other Rhone varietals.
In Languedoc there is a rosé from legendary producer Gerard Bertand that has just a hint of pink color. In La Sauvageonne La Villa, Grenache, mourvedre, viognier, and vermentino grapes are co-fermented. We were among the first in the world to try the 2017 vintage. It's acidic, fresh and has a long finish; perfect for food. Drinks Business named the 2016 Best in the World. ($50 range)
So the notion that rosés are wimpy wines couldn't be further from the truth. But since we're talking truth here, when it's stinking hot outside and you're sitting by the pool, there's nothing wrong with a light wine that goes down easy.
Over the weekend I recruited a few friends for a tasting to create a delicious bouquet of French rosés for Mother's Day.
Gerard Bertrand Cuvee Rosé Thomas Jefferson, Cremant de Limoux (under $20) was the first cork to pop; a bubbly combo of mostly chardonnay with some chenin, pinot noir and lots of finesse. Thomas Jefferson was said to be a great admirer of sparkling wines from Limoux (Languedoc) hence the name. With green apple, white peach, white grapefruit and berries, this is not a mimosa wine.
Chateau Roquefeuille, Rosé in the Air ($22.50) is a direct press of cinsault, syrah, Grenache, and vermentino from Provence. It smells inviting with notes of strawberry and vanilla. The vermentino made some liken it to the acidity found in sauvignon blanc. A good food wine.
Ferraton Samorens Rosé ($15) was our only bottle from the Rhone Valley and you can taste the area's signature garrique, or herbal qualities. A light watermelon color, the balance between fruit and acidity is enjoyable. It has good structure with a savory touch.
Cote Mas, Rosé Aurore was the surprise of the bunch. It comes in a liter bottle with a screw cap and is $11. This book was judged by it's cover, something grownups should know better than by now. With Grenach, cinsault and syrah from Languedoc, it looks like cotton candy, smells like a berry and sugar pie, but it's still dry. This is a porch pounder; a bottle that everyone kept going back to.
Bila-Haut Les Vignes Rosé ($15) was a rare rosé that seemed to get better after it was opened. From the Languedoc Roussillion it's a blend of Grenache, syrah and cinsault that smells like a freshly picked flower. Light on the palate it has orange essence, strawberry and a touch of eucalyptus on the finish.
Chateau Puech-Haut Prestige ($20 range) wins the prize for best presentation with its glass stopper, a flat front bottle, and embossed label. Hoping to appeal to collectors, the new release comes in a variety of label colors. Also from Languedoc, this one smells floral and clean with an odd bit of marshmallow. Full of stone fruit it also had some raspberry.
Enjoy rosé not only for Mother's Day but all year round. Cheers.
Gina Birch writes about wine for The News-Press and at thebirchbeat.blogspot.com. Follow her as @ginabirch on Twitter and find her on Facebook.
Source: https://www.news-press.com/story/life/food/2018/05/07/mothers-day-wines-best-rose-wines-france-review-vintages/585992002/
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