How the world learned to look through rosé coloured glasses
One interesting phenomenon of the last several years is the commercial production and export of rosé, made from “non-traditional” grapes. I use the term non-traditional rather loosely as it was fairly common throughout the Old World wineries to produce some rosé for local consumption with whatever grapes were at hand. Such wines hardly ever left the province, let alone the country.
The explosion of the international market gave wines that were enjoyed by tourists a boost. The British began going to the Rhone in droves around 1980. They took home an appreciation for Tavel, a hitherto obscure appellation with a unique restriction on vintners in that they may only produce dry rosé.
Once that started to be sold at Tesco, the rush was on. Virtually every region in the Rhone produces a rosé. Wine buyers remembered that the Spanish produced a lot of Rosado, too. And of course the Italians make some Rosato. And the next thing you know even folks on the Canadian Prairies decided that pink wine was an acceptable beverage.
What’s more, Canadian vintners began making rosé from whatever grapes were at hand. And suddenly you have grapes like Cabernet Sauvignon becoming rosé; I didn’t expect to see that one in my lifetime. Nor did I expect to actually enjoy such a wine.
Take, for example, New Zealand’s Gladstone Vineyard Rosé. It’s a blend of Cabernets, Sauvignon and Franc. (Bordelais varietals are mostly grown on the North Island, and is the locale of Gladstone vines.) The bouquet is smoky and stony with some herbaceous freshness, doubtless contributed by the pyrazines. Don’t be surprised if you discover a bit of beet or asparagus.
The palate is strong, stronger than you’d expect, and could easily accompany most meat dishes. I was drinking the 2014 for this column, which is at least a year older than most rosé should be, and I’d guess Gladstone would go another couple of years, minimum.
This was not, however, the strongest wine of the three here. If you like a slightly bigger profile on your rosé then you need to explore this territory thoroughly.
Santa Digna Reserva Rosado is a Chilean product from Miguel Torres. The colour of the wine is dark enough to pass for a Pinot Noir. The palate will be a challenge for people who prefer the fruitier profile of Grenache based rosé.
Santa Digna’s early vintages were not popular, tending to be too sweet up front with too little acidity and a slightly chemical finish. However, they have improved steadily over the last 10 years, and I think they may have something here. This is a wine for Cabernet Sauvignon fans, particularly fans of the modern wine style coming out of California. The bouquet is most herbal with some fruit, but the palate is a decent strong rosé.
Melipal is a Malbec rosé from Argentina and the colour is even darker than Santa Digna. The bouquet again has some herbaceousness. There’s some floral elements here, but I can’t say I found any mineral.
The palate is balanced and surprisingly light. This is a wine that will suit dry red drinkers who find Grenache just a bit too fruity and floral. It will stand up to barbecued meat, and I’d suggest ribs with sauce are a natural fit.
Wine of the Week:
Gladstone Vineyard Rosé, $19 Santa Digna Rosé 2015, $16 Melipal Rosé 2015, $18
Canadian reds next week.