Rosé Roundup

A rose is a rose is a rose, as Gertrude Stein wrote, but a rosé can be even better. This spring and summer, when  you want the refreshing quality of a white wine but with more weight and more flavor, choose a dry, French-style rosé. They don"t have to come from France-- wineries all over the world are making wines in this style. The French region they are most identified with, Provence, is enjoying record sales right now. So if you want to be trendy, embrace chilled dry rosés this spring and summer. If you just want good wine, enjoy this style of rosé anytime, all year round, like I do. Below are several I recommend after recent tastings. Following them are some unorthodox, but interesting, pink products I came across while looking for rosés, a rosé Port and a rhubarb liqueur.

2011 Rosé of Cabernet Sauvignon, Mulderbosch, South Africa, ($12) was a delightful find as it is the first rosé I have ever tasted from South Africa. Yummy red fruit, crisp with a firm acidity and a sturdy weightiness in the mouth are the hallmarks of this wine. 12.5% alcohol.

2011 Halter Ranch Rosé: Paso Robles, California. ($16). This southern Rhone Valley-style rose is a blend of Grenache, Syrah, Mourvedre, and a Picpoul Blanc (a white grape). It is similar to wines from Tavel in Provence. It is a deep pink wine with flavors and aromas of red cherry and raspberry. Superbly dry with a wonderful silky mouthfeel. Alcohol is high at 14.1%.

2011 Prieure de Montezargues Rosé, Tavel, Provence, France, ($25.99).  From the land most associated with this style of wine, this is a blend of Grenache (both red and white), Cinsault, and several other Rhone varieties, it has a moderate alcohol of 13.5% and a palate-cleansing acidity. Perfect with light summer foods.

2011 Chateau de Jau, Jaja de Jau Rosé, France, ($9.99).  Made from 100% Syrah, this is a robust rosé. A little spice, a lot of weight in the mouth, and a deeper color than most rosés, this wine will convince rosé-shy, red wine imbibers that a dry rosé is worth drinking.

2011 North Coast Dry Rosato, V. Sattui, Napa Valley, ($21.75). Almost-red in color, this is a blend of Grenache, Syrah and Carignane and is more hearty than light.  Red fruit aromas and flavors of raspberry and strawberry plus a classic acidity makes this wine a nice warm weather sipper. A moderate 13.5% alcohol.

JCB Cremant De Bourgogne Rosé, No 69, Boisset Family Estates, France ($20). Just watching the abundant tiny bubbles in this pretty sparkler rising in your flute is enjoyable, but when you taste the crisp, fruity, yeasty wine made from 100% Pinot Noir, the enjoyment heightens. Lovely color. A celebratory wine for a party or just a leisurely weekend brunch. Great quality for the price.


Laurent-Perrier Cuvée Rosé Brut, France ($99). For special occasions or when you want to make a splash, this pricey Champagne is impressive because of its razor-sharp focus, crisp acidity and aromas and flavors of cherry, strawberries, red currants. It is a blend of grapes from ten different crus considered among the finest in Champagne, and cellared for at least four years, both of which account for the high price.

Narello Mascalese Brut Rosé, Valdo, Italy, ($14.99). This dry rosé prosecco is a blend of two Italian grapes and has a low alcohol of only 12%. Light, refreshing with a zippy acidity, it would do well as a summer sipper alone or with seafood, paella or salads.  Served it at a ”Ladies Night” gathering and everyone was enthusiastic!

Lucien Albrecht Brut Rose ($20). One of my favorite wines, this is a cremant (French sparkling wine) from Alsace in northern France (not the Champagne region). It tastes like a high-end, celebration wine, but is moderate in cost and alcohol. The beautiful rosey tint looks good on any table, summer or winter.

Rhuby, a rhubarb liqueur, 40 proof, ($35). In U.S. stores by June, 2012. Sweet and tart, smooth and silky, this was delicious straight over ice. Made by adding organic Swedish wheat vodka, natural spring water, sugar and bourbon vanilla beans to juiced Swedish rhubarb stalks, it is free of chemicals, preservatives and additives. The makers of Rhuby recommend it in Margaritas, Daiquris, or Mojitos, or mixed with any sparkling wine. For a lighter drink, mix this pale pink liqueur with soda water or lemonade.

Croft PINK, rosé Port, 40 proof ($19.99). From one of the oldest Port houses in Portugal, this rosé Port is made from the same six grapes used in its traditional Port. The drink has aromas of ripe, red fruits, and tastes of berries and citrus. Drink it chilled, on the rocks, mixed (with jasmine iced tea, for example), or add to sangria.

Crème de la Crèmant

Several months ago I received an unsolicited bottle of Rosé Crémant d’Alsace from a producer I was unfamiliar with, Lucien Albrecht. I’m a fool for rosés, so it was a safe bet that I would like it. But I did not – I loved it. Like Dom Pérignon, I felt I was "tasting stars." Effervescent strawberry stars. And the bottle was just $20, which was amazing because this is wedding reception-worthy wine. And at 12% alcohol, it’s a wise choice to serve at a gathering where much imbibing and merriment may be transpiring (many California wines, even whites, can be as high as 15-16% alcohol and though it may not sound like it, that’s a BIG difference). The Lucien Albrecht rosé crémant is made from 100% Pinot Noir, is dry and crisp, with a soft coral color. Nothing looks better sitting on an outdoor table glinting in the sunlight surrounded by light summer foods. It is made using the same method as a Champagne, or "methode traditionnelle" – but cannot be called one because it doesn’t come from the region known as Champagne.

Shortly after I tasted this wonderful wine, I traveled to Burgundy and coincidentally tasted several sparkling wines from that region. The Crémant de Bourgogne I tried was from two producers, Vitteaut Alberti, a small family firm, and Veuve Ambal, one of the larger Crémant makers in Burgundy. They were all lovely – not as tightly focused and precise as great Champagne, but refreshing and pleasant, a great foil for oily, salty foods, and all priced from$10 to $20. I looked into it and found out that Crémant de Bourgogne has taken off in France and in the U.S. lately. The appellation Crémant de Bourgogne was created in 1973, and is the generic term for sparkling wines of all colors from the Burgundy region. For years overshadowed by the region's many famous and coveted AOC wines, it has become, in the space of a few years, one of Burgundy’s leading lights with sales constantly rising. A new sales record was reached in 2008, at the same time that demand for many other wines was falling. In fact, the export manager at Veuve Ambal told me when I visited that the winery could hardly keep up with the recent explosion in demand. Exports of Crémant de Bourgogne rose more than 14% in 2008 over the previous year despite a difficult economic climate. And exports to the United States rose 6% while overall imports of French wines fell during the same period by 8%.

However, France remains the leading market for Crémant de Bourgogne wines – they know a good thing when they drink it.

But back to Domaine Lucien Albrecht. Last week I received more Lucien Albrecht in the mail: Gewürztraminer, Pinot Gris, Riesling, Pinot Blanc and another Crémant , this time a Brut. Yum; right up my alley since I am beyond tired of Chardonnay, Merlot and Co. Even the bottles were intriguing: tall and slim, they are like Gisele Bundchen compared to the heavy, round turrets that contain many Napa Cabernets.

Lucien Albrecht has one of those intriguing backgrounds that Americans can really appreciate – the family winemaking business goes back 18 generations! And Lucien himself was one of the founders of the appellation, Crémant d'Alsace.

Highly recommended: If ethereal, subtle and refreshing wines are what you crave in summer -- or all year-round – to go with salads, light cheeses, fish and shellfish, check out the wines of Domaine Lucien Albrecht.