Rosé Coloured Glasses

Think Pink. Rosés really are the best of both wine worlds, especially when it comes to pairing. A rainbow spectrum of hues aside, the versatility of these wines is a huge part of their appeal. You have the freshness, acidity and best food-friendliness of white wines, with the structure, berry fruit, tannins and best food-friendliness of red wines.

I’m not alone in my rosé crush. Rosés, especially from the heartland of Provence, have long been a key sommelier go-to. Thanks in large part to BCLDB European Portfolio Manager, Barb Philip MW’s proclivity for dry rosés, we’ve seen steady and healthy growth of the category in our province over the past few years. It’s not just BC; across Canada, volume sales of rosé have almost doubled from 2004 to 2013 (via the Association of Canadian Distillers), and was projected to rise by 7% by the end of 2016.

It’s no surprise that France is the world leader in the production of rosé. Provence represents 40% of the French production of all rosé AOP and 5% of the world production of rosé wines. Provence is also the only region in the world that specializes in rosé, with almost 90% of total wine production.  According to Philip, "With its incomparable finesse and subtlety, Provence is the benchmark for rosé, and every year the category is showing strong growth in British Columbia. BC rosé drinkers clearly enjoy it and find it a great match with local cuisine."

Thankfully BC winemakers have paid attention. After a simple, sweet and confected start, producers are starting to embrace dry, finessed and grown up rosés. It’s really a perfect fit, marrying our province’s warmth and fruit ripeness with our fresh acidity to achieve an ideal pink to drink. Of the dozens of BC rosés I’ve tried this spring, the majority are dry or veering that direction, with the best off-dry examples deftly balanced out with a vein of acidity.

Here are the BC rosés we’ve tasted at GOW so far this spring, just in time to say santé to the summer solstice. 

86.  40 Knots Spindrift Soleil Rosé Brut 2011

Comox Valley, Vancouver Island, British Columbia, Canada

$30.00

Spindrift Soleil Rosé has that appealing eye of the partridge colour that stems from using maréchal foch to tint the colour pink. The wine itself mixes pinot noir, chardonnay and pinot gris in a super dry style punctuated by light strawberry, toast and fresh cut green apples. Like the Brut its tart and food is what it really needs to shine. A raw seafood would be just the ticket. Here. It can be foamy upon opening. AG-ST.

 

88.  Arrowleaf First Crush Rosé 2012

Okanagan Valley, British Columbia, Canada

$15.00

This delicate pink hued rose is fantastic value. Pinot noir and zweigelt yield fresh and bright wild strawberries, raspberry seeds, dried rose petals and earthy desert herbs, with a barely there kiss of summer berry sweetness to round out. Lox and cheese anyone? TR.

 

88.  Bench 1775 Glow Rosé 2014

Naramata Bench, Okanagan Valley, British Columbia, Canada

$23.00

A strength of the winery, this year's rosé is in the same cool orange strawberry vein as the previous vintage. Lovely orange, candied pear, strawberry and rhubarb nose. The generous palate carries the same - a fruit salad of melon, strawberries, pink grapefruit and white peach spiced with zesty tangerine. Quite a unique blend of malbec/merlot/syrah/cabernet franc and it works. Try with strawberry spinach salad with lox. TR

 

89.  Blue Mountain Brut Rosé R.D. 2010

Okanagan Valley, British Columbia, Canada

$33.00

Offering a very pale salmon colour with very fine bead. Floral, light strawberry, baked apple, lemon and toasty lees aromas. Fresh, creamy round palate with fine mousse. A slightly sweeter brut with good acidity. Toasty, honey, lemon, baked pear, apple skin, strawberry and tobacco flavours. Good finesse and fruit in an elegant, somewhat fruitier style with a hint of bitterness on the finish. Good effort and value. AG-ST

 

86.  C.C. Jentsch The Dance Rosé 2013

Oliver, Okanagan Valley, British Columbia, Canada

$18.00

 

Small portions of merlot, cabernet sauvignon, cabernet franc, malbec and petit verdot were bled off to create this deep and full pink coloured rosé. Assertive and heady, with smoked strawberry, black plum, stone and spice notes. Bold and gutsy and proud of it, and ready to take on spicy tuna tataki or salmon sushi. TR

 

89.  CedarCreek Rosé Pinot Noir 2013

Okanagan Valley, British Columbia, Canada

$18.00

Wild ferment pinot noir fermented long and cool in stainless steel preserves the alluring delicate fruit and hue. Savoury wild strawberries on the nose, with raspberry blossoms, spice, light earth and a touch of herbed cracker on the silky, concentrated, pure fruited palate. Off dry with persistent spice lingering on the finish. Polished and elegant enough to pair with your poached salmon. TR

 

87.  Culmina Saignée Rosé 2014

Golden Mile Bench, Oliver, Okanagan Valley, British Columbia, Canada

$23.00

The perfect vintage is hard to come by in the Okanagan but 2014 may be as close as it gets. The blend is 62/21/17 merlot/cabernet franc/cabernet sauvignon all off the estate’s Arise Bench. The colour is perfect Provençal pink, and it’s mostly dry. The nose is marred by a persistent reduce character that dissipates very slowly. The rest of the bottle is fresh reminiscent of strawberries and dusted with sagebrush.  At 14 percent alcohol it’s made for food. The winery suggest some tantalizing mild chicken curry with saffron rice; smoked sausage Louisiana jambalaya. Solid but this needs time in the bottle to hopefully help the nose spring forward at some point. Finished under vino-lock. AG-ST

 

86.  Fort Berens Pinot Noir Rosé 2014

British Columbia, Canada

$16.00

From the eastern wine outbacks of Lillooet comes this bold, dry, watermelon hued, pinot noir rosé. Candied strawberry, rose bushes and youthful raspberry moves into punchy flavours of raspberry jellies, pink grapefruit and red apple. There's a round creaminess to the palate that can take on your roast turkey and cranberry sandwich or cream based pastas. TR

 

89.  Haywire Gamay Noir Rosé Secrest Mountain Vineyard 2014

Summerland, Okanagan Valley, British Columbia, Canada

$22.90

This fragrant, stony gamay rosé comes from Secrest Mountain Vineyard in Oliver and was fermented and aged in concrete. Orange peach in hue, with a mouthwatering salty mineral, faint raspberry and dried herbs on the subtle nose. Over concrete's hallmark stony creaminess, wild strawberry, raspberry bush, gentle florals, rhubarb and pear skin are lifted with crunchy acidity through to a finely spiced, bone dry and lingering mineral finish. Lovely finesse. TR

 

 

85.  Hester Creek Rosé Cabernet Franc 2014

Okanagan Valley, British Columbia, Canada

$20.00

Deep magenta plum in hue, this looks almost like a light red rather than a rose. The boldness continues to stewed rhubarb and strawberry jam aromas and assertive cherry-berry, candied papaya and candy floss flavours on the punchy palate. Finishes a bit heated - chill down and enjoy on the patio with candied smoked salmon, salami and local blue cheeses. TR

 

86.  Howling Bluff Summa Quies Rosé 2014

Naramata Bench, Okanagan Valley, British Columbia, Canada

$25.00

Strawberry yogurt and raspberry rosemary jam opens this deeper hued rosé, the inaugural release of this wine for Howling Bluff. The herbed berry fruit continues on the juicy palate with a punch of salted plum, raspberry gummies and red currant. The residual sugar is an evident layer underneath the fruit, noticeable more (like the 14% alcohol) as it warms in the glass and appears as maraschino cherry. Chill and serve as a summer refresher. TR

 

88.  La Stella Lastellina Rosato 2014

Okanagan Valley, British Columbia, Canada

$22.90

Welcoming and friendly like a hug, this wine's only downside is that it's far too easy to drink. An elegant, off dry sipper of wild fragrant perfumed strawberries and spicy dried sage and thyme. Cabernet franc, merlot and sangiovese knit seamlessly into a round, silky palate of blue plums, ripe cherries, raspberries, rock roses and sweet cinnamon on the finish. Generous and elegant, the ideal partner to your chèvre, cured salmon and cherry compote. TR

 

88. Le Vieux Pin Vaïla 2014

Okanagan Valley, British Columbia, Canada

$21.65

This finely structured, taut rosé is made with the gently pressed juice off pinot noir grapes, aged in stainless to preserve fruity freshness and crisp, crunchy acidity. Green raspberry, thorns and rhubarb lead to a rush of raspberry, red currant, dried herbs and delicate wild strawberry. Precise and elegant, befitting lox and hen eggs or savoury wild boar charcuterie. TR

 

90. Lock & Worth Cabernet Franc Rosé 2014

Naramata Bench, Okanagan Valley, British Columbia, Canada

$15.11

This graceful rosé pours the very palest orange peach hue, a hallmark of this wine from the low interventionist duo of Matthew SherLOCK & Ross HawkWORTH, also a team at Nichol Winery, further along the Naramata Bench. Whole cluster pressed, with three hours on the skins. Delicate pear, quiet yellow apple aromas entice to a concentrated, though slender palate. Anjou pear, subtle wild strawberry, mandarin orange pith and stone flow across a noticeably plumped pillow of fruit and whisper of residual sugar on the palate (more than the previous vintage's ripping lines.) Acidity is lifted and effortless through to the pretty wild florals and wild berries to close out the finish. TR

 

87. Mission Hill Five Vineyards Rosé 2014

Okanagan Valley, British Columbia, Canada

$16.00

With a kiss of sweetness, this budget and patio-friendly juicy rosé is a popular pink that appears as soon as the sunshine does. Sweet strawberry jam, candied cherries, watermelon and peppery spice, this juicy blend of merlot, pinot noir and syrah is from vineyards in Kelowna, Oliver, Osoyoos and Naramata and aged for seven months in stainless steel. TR

 

86. Mission Hill Terroir Collection No.19 Early Morning Brigadier's Bluff Rosé 2013

Okanagan Valley, British Columbia, Canada

Pale orange colour with honey, cherry, grapefruit, green apple and leaf aromas. Juicy, round, somewhat sweet style with cooked strawberry, spicy, citrus, green apple and butter flavours. Clean, fruity, simple style for the summer. AG-ST

 

86.  Monster Vineyards Rosé 2014

British Columbia, Canada

$16.00

The monster pink is a light mix of malbec, merlot, syrah and viognier – the reds were bled off with minimal skin contact. Look for fresh raspberry/strawberry notes on the nose with hints of melon and lemongrass. The palate is mix of off-dry flavours of cherries with a dash of rhubarb. A fun style summer sipper with enough residual to handle a little spice in your food. Serve well chilled. AG-ST

 

86.  Nk'Mip Cellars Winemaker's Series Rosé 2014

Okanagan Valley, British Columbia, Canada

$16.99

Fragrant white and pink florals on the nose, this deep pink hued rosé brings the garden party to your glass. On the juicy palate, florals give way to tart cranberry, white grapefruit, green apple, Asian pear and sour cherry. Tart and sharp, this lean, dry pink will refresh on a hot day, especially when paired alongside mussels or chilled salmon dishes. TR

 

87.  Pentâge Winery Rosé 2013

Skaha Bench, Okanagan Valley, British Columbia, Canada

$20.00

A unique rosé from 100% zinfandel, this deeper pink hued wine opens with cocoa, red currant and dark cherry jam. The off-dry palate is juicy with blackberry, ripe cherry, dark florals and zesty spices, with a mouth filling cherry cordial note. Bright berry acidity lifts the fruit through the lingering finish. Pair this medium bodied rosé with pork kabobs or pork belly. TR

 

87.  Quails' Gate Rosé 2014

Okanagan Valley, British Columbia, Canada

$15.69

A blend of gamay, pinot noir and pinot gris opens with subtle strawberries, cherries and raspberry blossoms. The shiny pale pink hue reflects the juicy watermelon, ripe strawberries, fragrant elderflower and pink grapefruit on the finely spiced palate. A wave of sweetness finishes nearly dry and fruity with a pretty rose blossom. Patio ready, serve with scones, lox or soft cheeses for brunch.  TR

 

85.  Red Rooster Reserve Rosé 2013

Okanagan Valley, British Columbia, Canada

$15.69

Spicy pepper and bold berry fruit in this deeper pink coloured rose, a dog's breakfast blend of malbec, cabernet franc, syrah, mourvedre, petit verdot, pinot noir and grenache. The bold, bled-off palate is on the crunchy side, with crab apple, rhubarb, cranberry, red currant, bitter cherry and punchy spices. Not shy, pour this alongside equally bold food - I suggest grilled beef burgers with blue cheese or Greek lamb kabobs. A current release (2013) with a puzzling reserve designation. TR

 

88.  Roche Wines Rosé Zweigelt - Schonburger 2014

Naramata Bench, Okanagan Valley, British Columbia, Canada

$15.01

This boutique winery is brand new to the Okanagan, but highly experienced in wine, with owners Dylan and Pénélope Roche experienced with winemaking in France (her native country), New Zealand, Australia and Spain. This is their first Okanagan release, and are currently producing wines under the Parallel 49 licence until they obtain their own. Strawberry yogurt, wild raspberries and stone open this unique zwiegelt/schonburger blend, a vibrant mid-pink hue from just three hours skin contact. Vibrant wild strawberry, cherry, red apple and spice on the juicy  palate, finishing dry with a fragrant pink floral blossom note. Enjoy this medium bodied rosé with pissaldiere. Very promising first release; I'm looking forward to tasting more from this young couple. TR

 

86.  Sage Hills Vineyard Small Lot Syrah Rosé 2013

Summerland, Okanagan Valley, British Columbia, Canada

$28.00

From 100 percent organic grown grapes in Summerland, this orangey peach hued rosé opens with apple, red currant and gentle white peach. The dry palate shows light red currant, black currant and lemon pith - finishing tart and a touch leafy. Bright, cranberry acidity keeps it lively. Pour with strawberry, spinach, chèvre and walnut salad. TR

 

86.  Sandhill Rosé Sandhill Estate Vineyard 2014

Okanagan Valley, British Columbia, Canada

$18.00

Candy floss pink, this single vineyard rosé handily marries sweet fruit and bright acidity, leaving a well cushioned, friendly, fruity sipper that finishes fairly dry. Round and generous, with strawberry jam, wild raspberries, fresh rhubarb, pomegranate and kiwi harnessed with herbal bones and peppery spiciness. A unique blend of cabernet franc, gamay, sangiovese and barbera, bled off from one of Sandhill's red blends. At 14.5% alcohol, can easily stand up to turkey and cranberry sandwiches or rosé cream salmon pasta. TR

 

89.  Sea Star Blanc de Noir 2014

Pender Island, Southern Gulf Islands, British Columbia, Canada

$19.04

“Blanc de Noir” translates as white from red, so already this delicate pink wine is a bit of a mystery before the screw is cracked (think Rose de Noir). Whole cluster organic Pender Island pinot noir opens with dried herbs, fragrant gooseberry and pear. Delicate pink flowers lead the palate – roses and raspberry blossoms - alongside subtle raspberries, rainier cherries and yellow plum. Zippy lime cordial on the finish. Nice pure fruit concentration in this lovely light and elegant coastal rosé, perfect for your Moules Provençale. TR

 

87.  Spierhead Pinot Noir Rosé 2014

South East Kelowna, Okanagan Valley, British Columbia, Canada

$18.00

Land’s End Vineyard in south east Kelowna is where the pinot noir grapes were sourced for this dark magenta hued rosé, deepened by 48 hours on skins. Salted plums and stone open to dark florals, strawberry compote, cured meats, cherry and earthy branch notes. There's a saltiness to the snappy, dry finish, welcoming pouring alongside chicken or salmon burgers. TR

 

84.  Symphony Vineyard 100% Saanich Grown Pinot Noir Rosé 2014

Saanich Peninsula, Vancouver Island, British Columbia, Canada

$15.57

A bold, glowing magenta hue, this Saanich Peninsula pinot noir rose spent 48 hours on the skins, extracting colour and tannins. Very tart, with red currant, cranberry and floral notes, and a punchy, bold and chunky mid palate. The residual sugar is handily gobbled up by the searing acidity, leaving a chalky textured, highly tart finish. TR

 

89.  Tantalus Rosé Pinot Meunier - Pinot Noir 2014

Okanagan Valley, British Columbia, Canada

$19.04

Equal parts pinot meunier (planted 1985!) and pinot noir come together in this pretty, pink hued rosé. Wild raspberries, candied strawberry and fragrant plum blossoms on the open, alluring nose. An elegant, fruity and dry palate carries plum, wild strawberry, rainier cherry and ripe pink grapefruit through to a crisp, citrus finish. Beautiful balance between berry ripeness and stony freshness in this vintage, my favourite rosé from the winery to date. Looking forward to pairing this with charcuterie or moules frites this summer. TR.

 

85.  The Girls Vivacious Rosé N/V

British Columbia, Canada

$20.00

Light earthy, tobacco, cherry, matchstick, floral aromas. Fresh, juicy, somewhat sweet but light-bodied entry with earthy, cherry, red apple, tobacco, olive and spice flavours. Simple but pure and clean if a bit sweet and sour in the finish. Try with chicken salad. AG-ST

 

87.  Tinhorn Creek Oldfield Series Rosé 2014

Okanagan Valley, British Columbia, Canada

$20.00

Your first introduction to this seventeen year old cabernet franc from Diamondback Vineyard on the Black Sage Bench is via the bright rosy peach hue. Red currant, herbal branch and strawberry jam notes carry through to the off dry palate, where candied strawberry, baked rhubarb, leaf, melon and peach join in. Tart cranberry acidity keeps it lifted, benefitting the heft of this direct press method. Pour with salmon or pasta salads this summer. TR

 

89.  Unsworth Vineyards Rosé 2014

Cowichan Valley, Vancouver Island, British Columbia, Canada

$18.00

I'm loving what I'm seeing from BC's coastal wineries that treat rosé with respect. The maritime climate's naturally bright acidity and elegant berry fruit expresses naturally in rosés like this. Fresh strawberry, wild herbs and a subtle orange peel aroma. The crisp, bright palate lifts wild herbs, herbal rhubarb, fragrant raspberries and wild strawberries across a lean but focused palate. Bright, dry and unpretentious, from its pale salmon hue to its reasonable price, pour with charcuterie, arugula and chèvre. TR