Take Time to Smell the Rosés

I’ve professed my love affair with dry rosés numerous times on this Blog.  To me they are the quintessential summer aperitif.  But, did you know there are two very different ways to make a rosé?  Let me explain.

The first method is made by simply mixing a white wine with red wine.  For all of you horrified at the thought, chill!  In many parts of France this is a common method.  For example, in Champagne it is quite typical to blend Pinot Noir with Chardonnay.  In the Rhone Valley, mixing red with white is often the norm.  The southern part of the Rhone is home to the illustrious Chateauneuf du Pape.  Red and white grape varietals are allowed in both the reds of Chateauneuf du Pape, as well as the white wines of the region. 

The southern Rhone is also home to the fabulous rosés of Provence.  While Provencal rosé is often made by mixing together red and white wines, it can also be made by the second method, saignée.  Pronouced “sen-yay,” this technique is named after the French work for “bleeding.”   In the saignée method, very young red wine juice that is only pink-tinged is removed from the vat early in the fermentation process.  This pale grape juice is then separately fermented to produce rosé.  In effect, the rosé is “bled” off from the infant red wine, thus the name.

There are arguments for which method produces the best rosé but the proof will be in your glass.   Take some time to smell (and taste) the plethora of available rosés this summer…and decide for yourself.

June Wines

           

Summer is almost here and for me it means switching to warm weather wines that can easily be served to guests for poolside sipping, enjoyed as an aperitif, or as an accompaniment to dinner as we watch the sunset over the distant Pacific.  Any of the following should add some magic to my namesake-month.

Gruner Veltliner:

Don’t let the name scare you away.  Even if you can’t pronounce it, you need to know it.  An exotic alternative to Sauvignon Blanc, this grape is Austria’s showcase varietal.  Think mango and peach.  With a solid acid framework, this one should float to the top of your June list---and, it’s worth the search.

Vermentino:

I have blogged several times about this Italian bombshell.  Native to Italy’s coastline near Portofino and the neighboring island of Sardenia, this is pure bliss in a glass.  A very aromatic grape, Vermentino offers up a sexy fruit and floral nose, along with a taste profile of citrus laced with pears and apples.  How do you say yummy in Italian?

Dry Rosé:

There are some killer rosés from both California and southern France available.  If you’re in the California mood, look no further than La Crema’s version.  We’ve conducted several blind tastings of rosés over the years and this one always floats to the top. 

Frapatto:

I’m a red wine girl but I don’t particularly enjoy complex, cerebral reds in the heat of the summer.  That being said, I’m wild about the lighter red grape from Sicily by the name of Frapatto.  This one is filled with strawberries and raspberries on the front end, with plums on the back.  

Summer Wines

The height of summer is here…farmer’s markets are over-flowing with tomatoes, basil and stone fruits.  With folks taking advantage of every opportunity to eat outdoors there’s always the question of what wine to serve during our hottest month.  While many opt for whites and rosés, there are some excellent, lighter-bodied reds that should not be forgotten.

Casual summer dining at our home around the swimming pool this year will often include one or more of the following:

• Aperitif:  White Port and tonic.  Even if you don’t care for Port, you’re gonna love, love, love this refreshing drink.  Out of the 16 people who came on our 2011 tour to Portugal, 16 of them were won over by this aperitif!   BTW…white Port is a much lighter version of the dark one (also much less sweet), making it perfect for sipping before a meal! Don’t expect to find it at every liquor store…but it’s readily available online.  Serve it as they do in Portugal…over ice with a twist of lemon (I do a 50/50 combination, however, titrate it to your own preference. ($25)

• Rosé:  This option is one of my faves, naturally, providing it is a well-crafted wine.  Best one for me?  La Crema’s bone-dry version is unbeatable.  ($25)

• White:  A client of ours turned us on to this gorgeous wine from the south of France (thanks, Mark).  We’ve ordered cases.  This one offers a superb quality/price ratio, and a unique opportunity to experience a varietal you rarely see in the US:  Picpoul de Pinet by Domaine Felines Jourdan ($15)                             

       Another white option is the sublime varietal Torrontes from Argentina.  If you 
        haven’t tried it, you should.  One sip of this gentle peach-and-white-flower wine 
        and you’ll be hooked.  Best producers?  Try Familia Zuccardi or Altavista. (<$15)

• Red:   No need to give up reds even on summer’s warmest days.  What you need is a light-bodied red…but, light body does not mean light quality.  My current fave is the Dolcetto grape from Italy’s Piedmont district (home of Barolo and Barbaresco).   Paolo Scavino had the best Dolcetto during my recent trip to Piedmont…and it’s imported!  (<$25) 

2 Great Summer Whites for a Song

Northern Portugal's dramatic vineyards 

I'm singing with great glee after learning about these 2 bargain Portuguese wines at a recent Society of Wine Educators meeting.  I took a group to Portugal last year…the tour sold out in record time.  There were some serious wine folk on the trip, many of whom had traveled with us to Bordeaux, Burgundy, Barolo etc.   It didn’t take long to convert them to Portuguese wine lovers and I can’t wait to share with them and others these latest finds…perfectly timed for summer.

Both white wines are from northern Portugal not far from the Spanish border.  Adega Ponte de Lima Adamado 2011 is a rock-star considering its price.  Westchesterwine.com has it for the incredible price of $6.79---even with $40 case shipping, that’s still an unbeatable $10 bottle.  Made from a combination of 3 local grapes (regrettably, none of which we have in the US),  its 10% alcohol level makes it the ideal choice for a hot summer’s evening aperitif.  Although I loved the floral and white peach nose, as well as the lemon and slight spritz on the palate,  it was its acidity that made it sing. 

The next find, Quinta de Carapeços Alvarinho 2011, is made from the popular grape known as Albarino across the border in Spain.   This Portuguese rendition packs in aromas of white peaches and flowers, along with layers of honeysuckle and citrus in the mouth.  A great finish put it at the top of hit parade.  At present this is not imported, however, I understand that it will soon be.  Cost is expected to be well under $20 per bottle. 

If you’ve not been to Portugal recently or not tried their wines in the last 10 years, you should understand that the quality of many Portuguese wines has grown leaps and bounds.  Once a Mateus and Lancer’s landscape, Portuguese wines (both white and red) have moved well into the 21^st century and represent some of the best quality/price ratios on the planet.