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Rosé-The Endless Summer Sip
Rosé is fast becoming the darling of the wine world. It has long been a favorite of the French for its aperitif appeal and nothing goes better with backyard grilling and chilling than a nice Rosé from Tavel or Provence. However, in the States this type of wine has long been associated with the sweeter blush variation such as White Zinfandel, and it has taken longer to be accepted for what it truly is, a very dry, crisp, clean wine with essences of strawberry and mineral tones.
The Wallstreet Journal recently dedicated a full page article in Rosés honor while Wine Spectator made it the focus of its May 31, 2007 edition. And for all this pomp and circumstance, Rosé remains a modest and very affordable, easy drinking wine.
A favorite and very affordable Rosé of WineWomenOnline ('WWOL') is Domaine du Poujol, Coteaux du Languedoc Rosé. Although this is a lengthy name to remember just remember 'Poujol' and you should get the attention of most knowledgeable folk in the wine department. Most of the Rosés you find will be of the 2005 or 2006 vintage since it is a wine you would want to drink young for the most part. You can find this wine for right around $10.00 in most stores.
Morgan and York, a fine wine and specialty store in Ann Arbor (www.morganandyork.com) describe Poujol this way:
'I could drink a case of you...' and in fact, probably more, by the time the summer is over. Poujol's pink balances on the razor's edge of a ripe fruity nose against a savory, slightly bitterish and refreshing finish. Consistently on our fair-weather wine list at home.'
[As a sidebar, Domaine Du Poujol is owned by the Cripps family - Robert and Kim, and Robert's retired parents, Dick and Ann. Both Robert and Kim have extensive winemaking and wine management experience in France and California moving to Provence in 1994.]
Although the classic home of Rosé is France many other countries and the U.S. are producing interesting Rosés as well. Most Rosés are made from a blend of Grenache, Cinsault, Syrah, and Clairette grapes although some makers in the U.S. are establishing Pinot Noir as their main grape of choice. Domestic Rosés have their own characteristics and are worthy; however, the French have that lovely dry herbal and complex taste.
An interesting Spanish Rosé, Condesa de Leganza, a Tempranillo Rosé, has a nice earthy almost Pinot Noir quality to it with a refreshing watermelon juice upfrontness. WWOL finds it uncharacteristic of standard Rosés. This lovely gem has been spotted at Everyday Wines in the Kerrytown Market & Shops in Ann Arbor for $8.99. Everyday Wines is a wonderful wine shop to experience a carefully selected grouping of wines at affordable prices together with other interesting wine accoutrements and just happens to be owned by a woman entrepreneur, Mary Campbell. www.everyday-wines.blogspot.com
Rosé is a very affordable and delightful wine lending itself to great tasting enjoyability and due to the overwhelming variety, WWOL plans to devote another article to this amazingly simple yet complex wine. So a suggestion would be to buy 3 or more to compare from different regions or countries and invite a few friends over, try to decipher the different tastes in each. Some tend to have a green olive quality while others seem to evoke herbs, like lavender and such. All and all it is a great way to spend a summer's evening.
© 2007 WineWomenOnline
Created: 8/9/2007 Edited: 12/24/2007