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After a week in the south of France, I confirmed there islittle doubt the rosé colour of choice is pale pink with a twist of sunsetorange.
When it comes to rosé worldwide, the colour of money in2014 is pink, pale pink. True, certain markets still prefer a deeper tinge ofpink and or even a touch red in their rosés but the reality is the light,pink/orange that originates in Provence is what consumers are clamouring forand producers around the world are shifting to the Provencal tint.
If you think rosé is a fad, or something only youngpeople and women drink, think again. One third of all the wine made in Francelast year was rosé, topped only by French red wine that accounts for a half ofall the wine made in France. Outside France, most other wine regions areincreasing the production of rosé and that includes just about everyone in theOkanagan Valley. The folks there are in a good position to sell pink wines,especially direct from the winery, where the hot Okanagan summer invites justabout anyone to reach for a refreshing glass of pink.
The challenge for consumers is coming to know themultitude of styles as defined by their sugar content, which frankly at themoment is a bit of a mess spanning from bone dry to super sweet, with no easyway to know whether the bottle in your hand is dry or sweet.
Despite the sugar quandary, it is no surprise people aredrinking more rosé. First and foremost, it's fun. Young people easing their wayinto in the world of wine are particularly enthralled with rosé because ittakes much less work to come to know. Vintages, appellations and producers takea back seat to its fresh, fruity style.
As for style, off-dry has been the standard in the NewWorld but even that is under assault thanks to technology and knowledge that isreshaping the category. The ability to pick impeccable grapes destined to berosé in the vineyard has changed everything. No longer born from the juice bledfrom red wine to increase its intensity, rosé begins life with a purpose andfor many wineries that means it should be dry and enjoyed with food.
Financially, wineries love what rosé brings to the bottomline, money. It can be made yearly and relatively cheaply without the need ofwood or any expensive techniques. It's a bit of a cash cow that allows thewinery to put even more effort into its big wines.
If the war over colour is coming to a light-pink end, thefight over sweetness levels is undecided although clearly the "less is more"movement is winning the battle. The final frontier to be conquered by producersis to make the move from seasonal sales to yearly.
In B.C. we are still in the seasonal category, as inMay-September. In other places, such as France, people are drinking pink yearround. I don't think weather has much to do with it. In the south of France,where they boast 320 days a year of sunshine, rosé makes sense every day whilehere in the damp rainy winters of Vancouver not so much.
Rosé is an especially attractive choice when eatingoutdoors, as is our wont any time the sun comes out in British Columbia. It'salso has an affinity for the lighter foods of summer complementing theirstructure and flavours as opposed to obliterating them.
From the day the Greeks brought wine to the region, in600 BC, the people of Provence have been perfecting the art of dry, roséproduction. Yet even with a 2,600-year head start, it is clear we are catchingup quickly.
This week we kick off rosé season with a mix of local andimport pinks but you can expect many more to appear in stores over the next few weeks.
Quails' Gate Rosé2013, Okanagan Valley, British Columbia, Canada
Price $16 | Score 88/100
UPC: 778856112245
The Provencal style has come to Quails' Gate and wecouldn't be happier. You will love this delicate, dry refreshing fruity rosé.Floral strawberry, sliced watermelon aromas mark the nose. The mix is 60/30/10gamy noir, pinot noir and pinot gris, all kept separate until bottling. We lovethe delicate strawberry fruit style and its essentially dry finish. Grilledchicken salad and just about any summer salad will match here. Well done.
Stag's HollowSyrah Grenache Rosé 2013, Okanagan Valley, British Columbia, Canada
Price $22 | Score 88/100
UPC: 626990139614, winery direct
There's an open, fresh, sweet nose of wild berries withbits of citrus rind. The palate is awash in sweet strawberry fruit but at fivegrams of suger per litre of sugar, it is all tolerable, inviting a spicy dishto fully appreciate the style. Love the fresh watermelon and citrus fruit withjust a hint of pepper. Bright fresh fruit and easy to sip, this is a greatpatio pick for the summer. The fruit is Osoyoos-based syrah and grenache. Welldone.
Baillie-GrohmanBlanc de Noirs 2013, Creston, British Columbia, Canada
Price $19 | Score 87/100
UPC: 626990100683, winery direct
The second edition of this rosé is another step up thequality ladder. Medium red/pink; the nose is a mix of sweet strawberries guavaand rhubarb with a twist of citrus. The attack is smooth and sweet with hint ofspice and an herbaceous undercurrent that buffers the 18 grams of residualsugar. Try this with spicy pork ribs.
Le Vieux Pin Vaila2013, Okanagan Valley, British Columbia, Canada
Price $22 | Score 87/100
UPC: 808755011124, winery direct
Vaila is made via the saignée method, (bleeding the tank)early on of free run pinot noir juice that only sees stainless steel storage.There is plenty to like here: the subtle fruit, delicate structure, soft mouthfeel and pink grapefruit and dry finish. If only there was a bit more freshness(acidity), this would be excellent. Try it with a summer style charcuterieplate including cheese and olives.
Marqués de CáceresRosé Tempranillo-Garnacha 2012, Rioja, Spain
Price $17 | Score 86/100
UPC: 8410406611007
Expect a pale cherry red colour. The nose is fragrant andfruity, with a ripe scent of black cherries and strawberries. The attack isfresh with off-dry fruit flavours, spicy notes and a tinge of candy apple andcaramel in the finish. Charming if a bit sweet; best served well chilled orwith spicy foods. Barbecued ribs would be perfect.
Chateau MiravalCôtes de Provence Rosé 2013, South of France
Price $29 | Score 90/100
UPC: 631470006805
Having celebrities such as Angelina Jolie and Brad Pittbehind any wine can be a two-edge sword. In this case it's the good edge,thanks to an excellent piece of dirt in Provence and a first-rate wine-makingpartner in the Perrin family of Chateau Beaucastel Châteauneuf-du-Pape-fame.Like last year, the colour is Provencal perfection, as is the nose that mixesfresh red fruits and yellow watermelon. The palate is an intriguing mix ofsavoury (garrigue) with electric stony, citrus minerality. It's a wine thatmakes you salivate from the first sip, offers delicate fruit and finishes dry.The blend is equally shared by cinsault, grenache, syrah and rolle(vermentino), Salad nicoise is the classic match.
