Voice of the Vine
Everything’s Coming Up Rosés

– By Lou Campoli –

Pink is in! Rosé wines represent one of the fastest growing segments of the wine world. Once consumers get over the hurdle that not all pink-colored wines are sweet white zinfandels, they are amazed and delighted by the dryness, flavors and versatility of rosé wines. Rosé wines are produced all over the world, from a number of different grape varieties. Take your pick.

The traditional method of making rosé wines is called the saignée method; after red grapes are crushed, the resulting juice is allowed to remain in contact with the red grape skins for a short period of time, from a few hours to a day or so. The depth of color — from onion skin to almost red — is determined by the individual wine maker. After the desired color is achieved, the juice is removed from contact with the skins and is fermented until it is totally dry.

Most rosé wines will show you a common set of flavors, including cherry, raspberry, strawberry, citrus and currant; the difference is in the intensity of those flavors.
The European Union is attempting to relax the law by allowing rosé wines to be made by blending red and white wines together. Those rosé wines made in the traditional method will have the word traditional displayed on the label, while those made by the new method will be labeled blended. Many traditionalists oppose this change, but they forget that many rosé champagnes are legally made today by this blending method. Anyway, original plans were for this new law to be effective in August 2009, but they may be delayed as negotiations continue.

Rosé wines are extremely versatile. Served chilled, they are ideal for picnics and backyard barbecues. They pair well with all kinds of foods, including salads, seafood, poultry, white meats, ham and mild cheeses. Enjoy these wines all year round, but especially during the warmer months.

We recently tasted several that we'd like to share with you.
Columbia Crest Two Vines Vineyard 10 Rosé ($8): This rosé from Washington is made predominantly from syrah with a touch of viognier.

Los Vascos Rosé ($10): From Chile's Colchagua Valley, this rosé is made from cabernet sauvignon.

Folie à Deux Ménage à Trois Rosé ($12): This blend of merlot, syrah and gewürztraminer from California is a wonderful value. This wine was a bit off-dry and the spiciness of the gewürztraminer was evident.

E. Guigal Côtes du Rhône Rosé ($14): From France's Rhône Valley, this traditional blend of grenache, cinsault, mourvèdre and syrah is a fabulous value, well-balanced and elegant.

Julián Chivite Gran Feudo Rosado ($11): This rosé is made from garnacha (grenache) in Spain's Navarra region.

Crios de Susana Balbo Rosé of Malbec ($15): What a great wine value! Made in Argentina from malbec, this is a deeper colored rosé.

Domaine Tempier Bandol Rosé ($41): From the south of France, this rosé is expensive and delicious! It is lighter colored than other rosés and its flavors are subtle and well integrated.

Planeta Cerasuolo di Vittoria ($24): This Sicilian wine, made from local grapes — nero d'avola and frappato — is not actually a rosé, but we mention it here because it appears as a very light-colored red wine, with flavors more concentrated than in the rosé wines.

We would be remiss if we didn't mention Domaines Ott ($16-42), perhaps the quintessential rosé in the world. From Provence, the Domaines Ott wines are everything that rosés are supposed to be.

Treat yourself! Try a delicious, chilled rosé with your outdoor dining this year.