More Good News for Rosé

I’ve written about rosé here before--rather recently, in fact, in one of my lead-up-to-the-holiday blogs--so the timing of yesterday’s story on the Wine Spectator’s web site is perfect. They report that “A new study by the Nielsen Company released by the Provence Wine Council shows a 28 percent jump in imported rosé sales in the United States in the past year—a category led by France (with 28 percent of the world's rosé production) and specifically, Provence. The growth in imported rosé sales is nearly eight times faster than the overall growth of wine sales in the U.S., and according to Nielsen, it's part of a trend that's been accelerating for the five years the company has measured rosé consumption.”

Wine journalists and other professionals have been lauding the uptick in rosé’s popularity for years. Once the warm weather rolls around, all of the magazines and blogs will surely run their annual reports on just that. And, surely, readers of this blog will find themselves at a café that first sunny day in April or May surrounded by sweat-beaded glasses of pink wine.

But what makes this article so interesting is both the timing (in the dead of winter--certainly not rosé-reporting season) and the content (hard numbers that back up what we’ve all suspected for years).

So where is all of this going? My prediction is that, while affordable, quaffable rosé will continue to grow in popularity and consumption, we will see a contemporaneous market arise for pricey, so-called “serious” bottlings. Whether this will prove to be a positive development remains to be seen. Rosé, after all, has traditionally been about food-friendly, easy-drinking, affordable wines, not bottles that demand a lot of money and time in the cellar (they really need none of the latter).

Predictions aside, though, this growth in the rosé market is a great thing for the wine business itself and for consumers. The more rosé available, after all--and the more that consumers all over the world are willing to try and fall in love with something new to them (like rosé)--the better it is for all of us. A more diverse wine world, after all, is a far more interesting one.

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Rosés from Provence: Perfect for the Holidays

Rosé, now that it has finally broken through the American wine-drinking consciousness as a serious option for serious consumers--it’s no longer seen in the same light as sweet, simple white zinfandel, thank goodness--has one more hurdle left to surmount: The perception that it is strictly a warm-weather treat.

Fans of rosé know very well that it is one of the great treats of the spring and summer; indeed, the arrival of the new vintage each year symbolizes the coming change in season as well as a sunny forecast by the TV weatherman. And, yes, there are few moments as charming and as evocative as nibbling on, say, a salade niçoise at a sidewalk cafe table while a glass of rosé gently sweats before you.

But to limit your rosé consumption strictly to the warm-weather months is to miss out on one of the top pleasures of the wine world the rest of the year.

Here, then, I’d like to make a suggestion: That you consider rosé right now, in the dead of winter. It may go against common practice, sure, but lots of worthwhile things do.

Right now, as the days are just about as short as they’ll be until next winter, we all could use a little sunshine. And few things provide it in such abundance as a bright glass of rosé. The fruit, the acid, the quaffability: It’s all there, and perfectly appropriate for the season in exactly the opposite way that rich reds are.

Then there’s the food-pairing part. For this gluttonous time of year--with fried potato latkes for Hanukkah and hearty hams for Christmas and who-knows-what-abominable-combinations on New Years Eve--my money is with rosé and Champagne in the pairing department. Few wines offer the same level of versatility at the table as these two.

Great rosé is made all over the world, from Europe to South America to the United States and beyond. Exploring examples from all of these places is bound to be a rewarding and delicious endeavor. Still, though, rosé finds its ancestral homeland of sorts--and one of its greatest expressions--in Provence.

I recently had the opportunity to taste a number of excellent examples from that famed French countryside, and was blown away by the range and quality of them. What really amazed me, though, was the ability of many of them to last (and, indeed, evolve) well beyond the point at which they are traditionally “supposed to be consumed.” In fact, it’s a good idea to look for successive vintages of Provençal rosés: Tasting a young one alongside a bottle that’s slightly more mature is educational in the most delicious way possible. And the slightly older ones, with their more pronounced earth and spice notes, provide a whole added layer of complexity with which to pair heartier holiday-season foods. That kind of versatility is awfully hard to beat.

Here are my tasting notes for a handful of standout rosés from Provence. Keep in mind, though, that this list is far from exhaustive, and that there are all kinds of rosé treasures out there right now, just waiting to be plucked from shelves.

Chateau du Rouët Coeur Esterelle Rosé 2008 - The color here is a beautiful light salmon that’s almost autumnal in hue. Hints of flowers and underbrush on the nose lead to flavors of red berry fruit, spice, and something just the slightest bit herbal. The fact that some of the fruit has fallen away at this point is actually a benefit, as the underlying complexity really has the chance to shine through. Excellent.

Rimauresq Selections Rosé Classique Cru Classé 2008 and 2007 - Fresh, springlike aromas and a burst of peach precede a palate more concentrated and slightly more powerful than the Coeur Esterelle. This 2008 tastes of peppercorn, spice, and garrigue, and shows more linearity than the previous one. The 2007, on the other hand, gives evidence of its extra bottle-age in its more amber-toned color, as well as in the mushroom and dried fruits and flowers of the nose. The palate of the 2007 is far creamier than the 2008, with unexpected hints of caramel and chocolate, all of it lifted by excellent acidity.

Rimauresq Selections Petit Rimauresq Rosé 2008 - Summertime notes of watermelon jump from the glass, buttressed by rhubarb and a creamy sense of richness that make this appropriate for the heartier dishes of the holiday season, or, really, with nothing else at all--just a glass and a half-hour to savor it.

Cellier Saint Sidoine Cuvée Entre Coeur Rosé Coste Brulade 2008 - Classic pink color and a nose so quiet it almost whispers give little indication of how complex this wine really is. It tastes of marzipan and sesame paste with brioche, wild strawberries, and spice, all of it balanced and subtle and calling out for food to enjoy alongside it.

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Domaine de Triennes Viognier "Sainte Fleur" 2007

In a lot of ways, Domaine de Triennes is like the 1992 United States Olympic basketball squad—the legendary Dream Team. This Southern French estate, like its sports-world predecessor, is all about the best people finding themselves in the right place at the perfect time. And the results, like they were for those hoopsters, are spectacular.

The two most famous names behind Domaine de Triennes are Jacques Seysses, founder of Burgundy’s highly regarded Domaine Dujac, and Aubert de Villaine, co-owner of what is possibly the most revered producer in the world, Domaine de la Romanée-Conti. (The third partner is Michel Macoux.) The result of their vision, labor, attention to detail, and deep respect for the land and the wine produced from it—at least as far as their phenomenal 2007 Viognier is concerned—is everything you would expect from such a group.

The 46-hectare vineyard, planted to Viognier, Chardonnay, Cabernet, Syrah, and Merlot, is nestled in the Pays du Var, east of Aix-en-Provence. It’s altitude (approximately 1,375ft – 1,475ft) and southern face combine to afford the grapes the opportunity to achieve ideal ripeness while still maintaining fresh acidity. This sense of balance was, in fact, the first aspect of the Viognier to strike me upon taking that initial sniff and sip.

Aromas of orange blossom, honeysuckle, and minerals rose from the glass, but without the overly lush perfume and lack of freshness that so many Viogniers suffer from. The real surprise, though, was on the palate, where the wine’s super-fresh acidity provided a sense of posture and structure that is all to rare with this grape. Notes of orange oil, mineral, and sweet summer stone fruit dominated the mid-palate, and were given an added sense of drama by the plush texture. The finish brought a subtle orange-pith bitterness that kept the richness of the mid-palate from growing overwhelming. This structured, brilliantly crafted, and utterly delicious wine is one of the best Viogniers I’ve tasted all year. And the price—under $16!—is nothing short of miraculous.

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