Wine Focus for June: Rosé!

[Robin Garr]

The title says it all: Pink wines from all over the world. Let's try to find the best!

[Robin Garr]

If you think Beaujolais is always a red wine, you're not really outing yourself as a wine-geek newbie, as only about 20 percent of the wines of the region are Chardonnay- or Aligote-based whites.

Gamay-based reds are the bread and butter of this prolific wine region south of Burgundy, and they make up a hearty share of the everyday table wine gulped by gastronomes in the nearby food-and-drink-loving city of Lyon, which some call France's second culinary city after Paris.

Beaujolais reds can range in color from a dark red-berry hue right down to a lighter shade of crimson; but pink Beaujolais is a wine of an entirely different color, so unusual that only a handful of producers make it.

Which is all by way of introducing us to today's featured wine, the 2011 "Les Griottes" Beaujolais Rosé from Domaine de Vissoux, which I picked up for $14.99 recently at my local Whole Foods wine shop.

On the winery website, wine makers Martine and Pierre-Marie Chermette declare that this rosé is "recommended for the hottest days of the year!"

This wasn't an invitation easy to resist on a recent late-spring afternoon when the temperature hovered over 90F with humidity to match, and as it turns out, the Chermettes weren't just fooling around. Crisp, fresh and bone-dry, with subtle wild-strawberry aromas and flavors given additional subtlety by whiffs of fresh herbs and lime, it's a compelling wine for summer sipping and a versatile partner with a wide bill of fare.

The Chermettes, billed as pioneers of sustainable viticulture in the Beaujolais, discuss their wine-growing and wine-making philosophy on this Web page, The art of making wine that reveals the grape. They've been making a rosé Beaujolais since 1985, and appear to be one of the first among this small but growing niche.


Domaine de Vissoux 2011 "Les Griottes" Beaujolais Rosé ($14.99)

Transparent pale pink-rose color. Good, subtle scents of wild raspberries and fresh tarragon. Bone-dry, fresh and subtle red-fruit and herbal flavors follow the nose with crisp acidity and gentle 12% alcohol content; finishing with light red-berry flavors, a whiff of fresh herbs and a hint of lime zest, tart and clean. U.S. importer: Weygandt-Metzler, Unionville, Pa. (May 30, 2012)

FOOD MATCH: This crisp, refreshing rosé is versatile with food. The winery suggests serving it with appetizers, salads, grilled meats, barbecue, seafood, savory pastries, fish and fish terrine and, it says, "ideal with Exotic cuisines including West Indian and Asian." I took them up on that idea with a spicy Ethiopian kale stew, Gomen Wat, and was delighted with the pairing.

WHEN TO DRINK: This fresh and youthful delight is going to be best while it's young. I'd plan to drink the 2011 this summer and look for the 2012 next year.

VALUE: This local price, right on the $15 national median reported on Wine-Searcher.com, is more than fair for this delicious rosé.

PRONUNCIATION:
Les Griottes = "Lay Gree-oat"
Beaujolais = "Bow-zho-lay"

WEB LINK:
The winery website is published in French, English, Russian and Chinese. Here's a link to the English-language fact sheet on "Les Griottes" Beaujolais Rosé .

FIND THIS WINE ONLINE:
I picked up this bottle from the "eco-friendly" shelf at the Whole Foods wine shop in Louisville, and would suggest checking this source first if you have a Whole Foods in your community.

Also, locate U.S. and international vendors and check prices for "Les Griottes" Beaujolais Rosé on Wine-Searcher.com.

PSA for all: Chambers just got the 2011 Baudry Rosé in a short while ago. And it's phenomenally good (no surprise there.)

It just so happened we opened an inexpensive rosé today with dinner. It was the 2011 Château de Campuget Tradition Rosé, Costières-de-Nîmes . 30% grenache noir, 70% syrah. Salmon pink hue, and red fruits in the nose and palate. Fruity but with enough acidity and balance to go well with spicy vegetable curry and rice. Pleasant quaffing wine.

One of my favorites over the past years and most affordable at around $9 - $11 retail is Villa des Anges Rose, VdP d’Oc. The 2011 is consistent with previous vintages with a very light salmon color, pretty aromas you could find in a Provence flower market and light strawberry and white peach in the mouth. Made from 100% Cinsault, no oak and partial malo, it has screaming acidity and meets my requirement for a Rose to buy by-the-case… REFRESHING! The winemaker is Jeff Carrel (also of Domaine Puydeval) who is very talented. Imported by Hand picked Selections and should be available in most markets.
Cheers, Gary

PSA for all: Chambers just got the 2011 Baudry Rosé in a short while ago. And it's phenomenally good (no surprise there.)

I picked up mine last Saturday. Dale posted a nice note on it.

Chidaine's 2011 rose is pretty nice, especially at $11. It's Pinot Noir and Grolleau.

2011 Knipser Clarette Rosé

A Saignée of Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot and St. Laurent fermented in Stainless Steel.
Very lightly colored (salmon, not neon) with red johannisbeeren, strawberry, rose-petal, white pepper spice and very fine acidity. Supple and structured with a firmness of body. Perennially this is among Germany’s top pink wines. I love this wine!
11,5% alc. 9€

Cheers,
Bill

Just had an old reliable - Marques de Caceres 2010. Year after year: balanced, slightly herbal tone with fairly vigorous fruit, and a pleasant dry slightly phenolic finish. Now in screwcap. $9-10.

Natura Rose 2012
Rapel Valley
Emiliana
A 85-15 per cent blend of Cabernet Sauvignon and Syrah.

Light copper in the glass.
Spicy, honey, light berry fruit on the nose.
Medium weight, plummy, strawberry, raspberry, apple, fleshy, good acidity, earthy, surprisingly hefty for a rose, spicy, with a bitter streak.
Mouthwatering, light strawberry and raspberry on the fairly long finish.
Purchased at $13.95 (Canadian)

Had a 2008 Domaine de Fontsainte "Gris de Gris" with lunch today. Produced by C et B Laboucarie in Corbieres, imported by Kermit Lynch. Primarily grenache with syrah, mourvedre, carignan, and cinsault added in. $14 in Ohio. Tasty, nice fruit, with acidity that needs food.

3 delightful roses that I have been enjoyiong the past few years....one from Long Island and 2 from Sonoma..from LI, Wolffer, from Sonoma, Scherrer and also Bedrock's Ode to Lulu

I have posted these notes as a separate topic on WLDG, but here they are under the rose banner!

Real men drink pink: Noland brothers do Rose

3 Noland brothers plus Ruth did a rose tasting with 3 rose wines

Wine A
Light copper pink. Strawberry nose with nice raspberry notes. Smooth midpalate showing red light red fruit, with nice long strawberry finish and juicy acidity. Classic rose.


Wine B
Bright neon red. Strawberry pop nose. Good sweetish fruit on the midpalate with strawberry notes the strongest. Medium finish of red fruit. This rose is all about the fruit.

Wine C

Salmon pink. Strawberries, oranges and herbs on the nose. Nice midpalate of oranges and cloves with a hint of alcohol that was somewhat offputting. Nice long finish of citrus and spice. Definitely not your typical rose.

With food:

Wine A really sings with a tart de Alsace that has caramelized onions and gruyere cheese. Enhances the acidity of the wine and the strawberry fruit. Also stands up nicely to grilled Portobello mushroom with mozzarella and provolone cheese.

Wine B was perhaps best with the grilled Portobello mushroom as it enhanced the balance of the wine. Also nice with the Alasatian tart.

Wine C dies with the mushroom and is just OK with the tart.

Final tally:

Wine A: unanimous #1
Wine B: 3 out of 4 voted it #3
Wine C: 3 out of 4 voted it #2

Wines revealed:
A: Cotes de Provence rose 2011 Coeur Estrelle

B: Mas Donis rose 2010

C: Winderlea rose of pinot noir 2010

No rosé for me right now. Winter has returned (or perhaps November is early); low cloud, rain since yesterday morning, blustery wind and reports of snow around 2000 metres .

Although our temperature has cooled down into the low 50s, here is an interesting Rosé that I had recently:

2011 Domaine de l’Ile – Porquerolles Côtes de Provence Rosé
From the island of Porquerolles, this is ¼ each of Cinsault, Grenache, Mourvèdre, and Tibouren. Medium-bodied, nicely balanced, lightly crisp, mineral, with red fruit, floral, and sea breeze notes. Very good.

I am still not exactly sure what Tibouren brings to a blend, but maybe someone can enlighten me?

[David M. Bueker]

The 2010 Baudry Rose was outstanding last night. Made some new converts.

The 2010 Baudry Rose was outstanding last night. Made some new converts.

Opened my last bottle a couple of weeks ago. Still great. Now I need to grab the 2011 while Chambers still has some. Why can't more rosé be like Baudry's?

[Jenise]

Although our temperature has cooled down into the low 50s, here is an interesting Rosé that I had recently:

2011 Domaine de l’Ile – Porquerolles Côtes de Provence Rosé
From the island of Porquerolles, this is ¼ each of Cinsault, Grenache, Mourvèdre, and Tibouren. Medium-bodied, nicely balanced, lightly crisp, mineral, with red fruit, floral, and sea breeze notes. Very good.

I am still not exactly sure what Tibouren brings to a blend, but maybe someone can enlighten me?

That's a grape I've not encountered before! Just looked it up in the Oxford book: "Tibouren could almost said to be the Provencal grape variety. It has a long history and the ability to produce such quintessentially Provencal wines as earthy roses with a genuine scent of the garrigue. Although it is planted in strictly limited quantities, Tibouren is cultivated by a number of the more quality- and history-conscious producers, and some of them bottle it as a varietal rose. ...it's original sphere of influence is around St. Tropez...."

As soon as I read that, I connected with an earthy flavor I adore/crave in Provencal roses. Maybe I just found out how it gets there, when it does.

[Jenise]

I bought my first two roses of the season last weekend:

2010 Domaine Figueirasse Gris de Gris, Vin de Sables, $14: Imported by North Berkeley Wines, medium pink with good expression but overall not remarkable due to a tad of lingering RS on the finish, especially when compared to:

2011 Bieler Pere ef Fils, Coteaux d'Aix en Provence, $10: much more to my liking. Pale pink, precisely refreshing. Zippy and clean, a great value.

but jenise, wasn't one of those from LAST season? i'm pretty convinced that rose needs to be gone by the following winter. then, as in waiting patiently for the first of this and that veggie from the new year, we get the new crop of rose after a period without.

the selection of rose in my area is now outstanding - we can get not only all the provence we want; but sancerre, chinon, marsannay, noble joue, vendomois and more. unbelievable.

OK, I have tasted enough 2011’s now to list several favorites and as usual, I lean toward the Provencal style and grapes.

Commanderie de la Bargemone, Coteaux d’Aix en Provence, 35% Grenache, 20% Syrah, 30% Cab Sauv, 15% Cinsault. This has been a staple at our house since first tasting it with Dan Kravitz (the importer) fifteen years ago and is my ‘benchmark’. Very light peach color is misleading causing many to expect no flavors which is not the case. Very refreshing. Should be available in all markets.

Commanderie de la Bargemone ‘Cuvee Marina’, Coteaux d’Aix en Provence, 40% Grenache, 30% Syrah, 30% Cab Sauv. Very much like their basic wine but a small step up for me. Currently direct import only and hard to find.

Ch des Annibals ‘Cuvee Suivez-moi Jeune Homme’ Rose, Coteaux Varois. 60% Cinsault, 40% Grenache. This gem is another that’s quite similar to those above and became a favorite a couple years ago. Very limited production and sells out early.

Ch Leoube Rose ‘the Secret’, Cotes de Provence, 40% Grenache, 40% Cinsault, 20% Cab Sauv. Another winner that’s hard to find in USA. This bottle was not mine but I’d be buying if I find some!

Chateau Lancyre, Coteau du Languedoc (Pic-St-Loup) 50% Syrah, 40% Grenache, 10% Cinsault. We’re talking different style here. Lancyre is fuller bodied and much richer while maintaining the refreshing crispness I look for. I tell people this is “too good to be a Rose” (and I’m a Rose nut). Another from Hand Picked Selections that should be available in most markets. This is the only Rose that I like better the 2nd year. Try it with family style roast chicken, mashed potatoes & gravy.

Cheers, Gary

Domaine Treloar "Rose of Treloar" 2009 - Vin de Pays des Côtes Catalanes; 100% Syrah; 11,7% abv; 6 g/l RS
A very dark colour, looks like a red wine actually. This is a lovely off-dry rosé: it smells actually rather like the Gamay rosés I have enjoyed with its purity and strawberry aromas. Actually, despite its lower sugar, this smells and tastes very like Brun's FRV100 but without bubbles. It is slightly sweet, but is pure and refreshing (though come to think of it, this refreshing character should be a surprise because neither the acidity nor the tannins seem to be all that high; but somehow it is grippy and palate-cleansing). It is fun, refreshing and moreish and has quite a bit more character than most rosés I get to drink. So no need to be afraid of the slight sugar! Not all off-dry rosés are crap.

Before I describe the wine, allow me to apologize. I am aware that few of you will have an opportunity to try this wine, but as it fits the topic, I felt it appropriate to review.

Hart Cellar Rose' 2011
60% Steuben/40% Cayuga

Color is Atlantic salmon pink. Baffling nose..foxy rose (the flower)..my non-wine loving son ( with the virgin nose) said "muskmelon". An intriguing mix of violets and tart, tart cherries driven by razor sharp acidity made this wine a stand-up-and-take-notice wine for me! I think it would be stellar with food but I just can't put my finger on which would make the best pairing. Originally thought ribs or something smokey, however the beef fajitas we did on the grill tonight missed the mark. Unfortunately, I don't have another bottle, and few of you out there can help me.

In any case, it was a fun, delicious sip.
Thanks, Howie!!

JB

Glad you enjoyed it, Julia. This is the first time I blended these two grapes, as I usually make 100% Steuben Rosé, off dry. However, I extracted much more color from the Steuben than usual, so I blended to lighten it up a bit. After blending, I liked it dry, so that's how I bottled it. I will probably bring a few more bottles of it to MOCOOL.