Finally. Finally, Rosé is coming into its own with the American consumer. This easy drinking, refreshing, yet flavorful style of wine finally seems to be gaining the appreciation in this country it deserves.
And wineries have responded. Wine industry publications are reporting double digit growth in the category and even triple digit growth in some price ranges. I have received significantly more pink wine samples this year than any previous year. So much so that I have reserved a report on imported Rosé’s for a future column.
I have been touting the pleasures of dry rosé for years. So, I am gratified it is finally getting its due.
There are essentially three ways to make a pink wine. The most common method is to press red grapes and leave the juice in contact with the grape skins (the source of a wine’s color) only briefly. The second technique is a process called saignée, a by-product of red-wine making in which a certain amount of juice is “bled off” shortly after red grapes are crushed. The third approach involves blending white and red wines to the desired effect.
Note this column focuses on dry rosés, not the sweet “blush” wines that have been popular for years. Expect bright, fresh fruit aromas and flavors of strawberry, cherry, raspberry, cranberry or even watermelon. The best display fresh fruit aromas and flavors that approximate the profile of their red siblings but drink more like white wines. Because of their vibrant freshness and lively fruit, pink wines are almost always best drunk young, so look for the most recent vintages available.
While these wines are ideal for enjoying on their own, they also are quite versatile, making nice accompaniments for vegetable dishes, light fish and seafood, charcuterie, sandwiches and salads.
First, I will cover American rosés. As far as the grapes used, Rhône varieties like syrah, grenache and mourvèdre are popular but so is pinot noir, zinfandel and sangiovese. My tasting (all wines from 2016) was dominated by pinot noir (a surprise to me).
Here were my favorite Pinot Noir Rosés:
- Clos du Val Carneros ($30) the most expensive of the tasting but it delivers
- Stoller Dundee Hills ($25) pretty, high toned fruit
- Martin Ray Russian River Valley ($20) savory and creamy
- Barrymore Monterey County ($18) plush and spicy
- La Crema Monterey ($20) soft, hints of cream and spice
- Cambria Santa Maria Valley ($25) juicy with cinnamon
- Meiomi ($25) watermelon, lime and minerals
- Angeline ($13) attractive citrus and succulent palate
And for Rhône fans: Halter Ranch Paso Robles ($21) 2/3 grenache, zesty, spicy
Plus two very good pinot noir and syrah blends:
- Kendall-Jackson Vintner’s Reserve ($17) delicate apple and watermelon
- Decoy ($20) creamy and spicy
And a longtime Zinfandel favorite: Pedroncelli Dry Creek Valley Signature Selection ($15) easygoing with cinnamon
Three every day values:
- Sterling Vintner’s Collection ($14) syrah, tempranillo, zinfandel
- Dark Horse ($9) 40% grenache, 20 barbera, 20 tempranillo, 20 pinot gris
- Apothic Limited Release ($9) tempranillo and grenache
Of course, rosé has been a popular drink throughout the rest of the world for a long time. The world of rosé is incredibly diverse, with many varieties and many styles. Explore this diversity on a journey around the world with the wines below.
France clearly is the leader with a dizzying array of Rosés from all over the country (including Alsace, Loire, Champagne and Bordeaux) but most notably the Mediterranean south – Rhône Valley, Provence, and Languedoc-Roussillon. Provence wines probably are the best known. And sales show it with a nearly 7300% increase in exports to the U.S. from 2001 to 2016, based on numbers from the Wines of Provence Council.
Rosés from Côtes de Provence dominated my recent tastings. Characterized by extremely light salmon color and generally dominated by grenache with additions of syrah and cinsault and sometimes a touch of mourvèdre or carignan. I noticed a characteristic flavor profile of delicate red berries and occasionally watermelon and citrus, juicy freshness and a hint of creaminess.
- 2015 ChâteauD’Esclans “Rock Angel” ($35) a historic estate now owned by a Bordeaux native
- 2016 M de Minuty ($19)an 18thcentury estate using sustainable methods
- 2015 Domaine de la Sangliere ($19) an estate whose production is 80% rosé
- 2015 Domaine Sainte Marie “Vie Vite” ($18) a 17thcentury estate with 80 year old vines
- 2015 Hecht & Bannier ($18) a boutique negociant based in Aix-en-Provence
- 2016 Fleur de Mel ($18) a cooperative near Saint Tropez
Rhône Valley Rosés, similarly based primarily on grenache, syrah, and cinsault, tend to be richer in color offering more intensity and robust character. The 2016 E. Guigal Cotes du Rhone ($15), from a topRhône producer,and 2016 Chateau de Campuget Costières de Nimes “Tradition” ($10), from a property that dates back to 1640, are fine choices.
From Roussillon, another Rhône Valley powerhouse – Michel Chapoutier – produced the 2016 Les Vignes de Bila-Haut ($15) citrus
Keeping with the Mediterranean theme, Italians, Spanish and Portuguese also love dry rosé. In Italy, as in France, many regions have their own style. One of my favorites from my tastings comes from Puglia in the heel of the boot. From a cooperative established in 1962, the 100% primitivo grape 2016 Cantine San Marzano “Tramari” ($17) is a ripe, juicy drink.
Another favorite is Cerasuolo d’Abruzzo, a typically more structured rosé made with montepulciano, the main grape of Abruzzo. The nonvintage Villa Gemma is a must try example. And from Tuscany, the famous Frescobaldi familyproduced the delightful 2015 Tenuta dell’ Ammiraglia “Alie” ($18) using syrah (not the local sangiovese) and vermentino.
Spain wasn’t represented in my tastings but there was a super value from Portugal. The 2015 Esporao Alandra ($8), primarily aragonez (the Portuguese version of tempranillo), is amazingly concentrated, fresh and spicy for its price.
Our planet’s southern hemisphere also was ably represented:
- New Zealand, which produces delicate Pinot Noir Rosés like the 2016 Wither Hills Marlborough ($14)
- South Africa and the 2016 Mulderbosch Rosé of Cabernet Sauvignon
- Chile and the 2016 Casillero del Diablo Rosé ($11) primarily syrah, with cinsault and carmenere