TASTING, STUDY CAN MAKE ROSÉ YOUR NEXT YEAR-ROUND SIPPER
It wasn't all that long ago that rosés were an obscure part of the wine business, a summer drink mostly fashionable in southern Europe. That all changed over the last decade, especially outside of Europe. You might say rosé has become so trendy it is easier to list the wineries that don't sell pink wine versus the many thousands that do.
While few consumers outside of the five per cent who know wine inside out could find Provence on a wine map, its famous pale-coloured rosés have changed everything about rosé at retail. Pale pink, to the point of no colour pink, is the standard of reference that has seen most darker rosés disappear from the shelves.
Along with its colour, rosé has undergone a when-you-drink-it transformation, moving from items bought and sold seasonally to a wine style that now enjoys year-round sales — no mean feat in the wine business.
Of course, many things change when wine goes from an obscurity to a commodity. The price goes up. Quality across a broad spectrum tends to be increasingly variable, and, like everything else in life, you, the buyer, must become smarter if you want to be a successful and satisfied shopper.
In many ways, choosing a rosé is a lot like choosing a Zinfandel or Riesling. You know what you like, but you don't know what you are going to get in the bottle. Will it be dry or sweet, light and ethereal, or alcoholic and clumsy?
Now, you are at the mercy of social media influencers, who seldom encounter a product they review that they don't like. You could ask that person in your peer group who gives wine advice based on their limited knowledge or perhaps turn to an experienced professional wine critic for their opinion.
There is another way. When you have the opportunity to taste a rosé, make note of the product if you like the style.
Once you have a favourite or two, you can measure any other bottle against your preferred style, and before you know it, you will have a short list of favourites you can draw upon on any occasion. It sounds simple, but you need the discipline to take note of each rosé as you taste it, file away the brand name, or at least take a picture of the label for future reference.
Finally, don't underestimate the ability of a well-balanced rosé to be a great match with food, improving your experience with the wine and the food. England's Fiona Beckett is one of the best globally at matching food and wine, and for crisp, dry pinks, she suggests “light salads, light pasta and rice dishes, raw or lightly cooked shellfish like oysters, grilled fish and goat cheeses.”
For the fruity rosés, the choices are “salads and mildly spiced chicken or fish dishes.”
Finally, for three off-dry sweet pinks, Beckett suggests “with Indian food like tandoori chicken or mild chicken curry.”
To get you started, I have compiled a list of 10 rosés in government stores that you could taste next over the month or two. They are mostly dry and fruity, with a touch of bright or sweet fruit, and most of all, they are fun to drink.
You can take it from there. Always buy the youngest, freshest bottle you can find, which this summer means mostly 2023s and 2022s.
Mateus Rosé N/V, Douro/bairrada, Portugal $12.99 and $16.99 1.5 L
La Vielle Ferme Ventoux Rosé, France, $14.99
Paul Mas Côté Mas Rosé Aurore, Southern France, $14.99 (Litre)
Le Petit Chat Malin Rosé, Ventoux, Rhone Valley, France, $16.49
Protea Dry Rosé, Western Cape, South Africa, $18.49
Bartier Bros. Rosé, Okanagan Valley, $19.99
Gérard Bertrand Côte Des Rosés Rosé, Languedoc, France, $25.99
Tantalus Rosé, Okanagan Valley, $25.99
Chateau Miraval Côtes de Provence Rosé, Provence, Southern France, $29.99
Tormaresca Calafuria Salento Negroamaro Rosato, Puglia, Italy, $51.97 1.5 L