Rosé, rosado or rosata…whatever you like to call it, do you like your wine pink? It’s National Rose Day but I hope you know that you can drink it anytime. With warmer weather and the barbecue season upon us, rose wine can be a good accompaniment to your good weather mood.
How does rosé get it’s colour? The simplest explanation is the rosé is made in the same process of red wine except the skins are removed when the winemaker determines the hue of the wine (could be as little as a few hours). When the skins are removed, the wine process continues.
For the past couple of years, my go to rosé has been the Château la Tour de l’Évêque. The 2019 vintage is a blend of Cinsault, Syrah, Grenache, Mourvèdre, Ugni Blanc and Rolle grapes. Made in the region of Provence, France, this organic, medium-boded, light pink, food friendly wine is crisp, refined and delicious. It contains 2 grams of sugar and can be paired with a variety of foods whether it’s grilled fish, shrimp, chicken, ribs or vegetables. You can also just pour a glass or two and enjoy.
I’m always open to trying new wines and so when a friend recommended Calalenta Rosato by Fantini, I said why not? The 2018 vintage is a blend of Nerello Mascalese, Cabernet Sauvignon and Merlot grapes. I find this a good, straight forward rosé that is best paired with food like cheese, salads and light meats and fish. I’m not sure it’s a wine to just drink it’s own. Wine Online is having a great deal on a case (delivery to certain cities in Canada/US). If 6 bottles seems like a lot, just split the case with a friend as it works out to approximately $15 CAD a bottle.
Another rosé that I have in my cellar is the Hecht & Bannier Languedoc Rosé from France. This wine is a blend of syrah, granache and cinsault grapes and aged in a steel vat. Ah the Languedoc region… brings back fond memories of when I took French immersion classes in Montpellier. It was more than just learning the language as we explored the city plus took trips to Nîmes, Béziers, Carcasonne and Sète to explore the historic and gastronomic culture of the region en français bien sûr. One of my teachers worked at her family winery so of course she taught us about wine. This wine is typical for the region. It’s dry, fruity and tasty. It can be enjoyed on its own or paired with salads and light meats.
The final rosé I have in my collection is the Clos du Temple from Gerard Bertrand. It’s the palest pink I’ve ever seen! I read online that it was named the Best Rosé in the World for 2020. According to whom though? I think isolation has made me crazy because I purchased a couple of bottles just to make a comparison. Did you see the price? (Click on the link above). I’ll be honest I have not tried it yet because I don’t want to drink it on my own. I enjoy sharing the experience of a nice bottle with others that are curious, learning about wine and/or just appreciate wine (like me). My birthday is coming up so maybe a social distanced birthday toast with this bottle is in order. I will get back to you with a review on this bottle. But it leads me to the question, how much is too much for a bottle of wine? I’d love to hear your thoughts. I will ponder this question as I sip on some more rosé. Get drinking!
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