Rosé Weekender Edition - Bouquet of 3 Rosés -Hendry Rosé 2013, Eric Kent Rosé 2013, 14-18h Gaia Rosé 2013

label of Eric Kent's Rose

This installment is dedicated to the three rosés I sampled this weekend.  The Hendry Rosé even came out and joined us for Karaoke on Saturday!!

Eric Kent Rosé 2013 
Sonoma Coast, California
(less than 350 cases made)
45% Pinot Noir/ 55% Syrah
https://www.erickentwines.com/
$21.99
 Even though Eric Kent's label was the most eye-catching, I enjoyed this wine the least.  Maybe I had a bad bottle, but I found the alcohol so overwhelming that I couldn't taste anything on the palate.  My friend MariLisa might disagree with me, she seemed to like this more than me, but hubby David and I both felt our tongues burning from alcohol overload!  I would say that in researching Eric Kent for this blog, he seems like a really cool guy, dedicated to promoting interesting artists -- like Yellena  James for this label, and they're a smallish operation.  I would try his other wines for sure.
The color is bright clear red like cherry Kool-ade.  It had some strawberries and cream on the nose, some sweet plum and spice, but truly I just smelled alcohol.  On the palate, there was bitterness and tongue searing heat from alcohol.  I got a hint of fruit and minerality before the burn.
I am always confused why a winemaker would want to marry Pinot Noir and Syrah.  They don't seem compatible - the Syrah would seem to overpower a delicate Pinot Noir.  Then again, I'm no winemaker.

Hendry Rosé 2013 
Napa Valley, California
(less than 700 cases made)
Primitivo/ Cabernet Sauvignon/ Zinfandel (exact percentages not found)
http://www.hendrywines.com/current/rose13.html
$17.99
David and I visited Hendry last year when we were in California.  We had a questionable time at the winery - the tour guide/tasting guide was a very technical person and not really a great people person.  However, I really like this all-estate winery and their meticulous attention to detail Their label btw, is really classic, simple, and inviting.
Remember what we were saying about saigneé rosés?  Well this is one of them, it's basically a by-product/ means to get a more concentrated red wine.  I thought that the saigneés would not have as much integrity (and maybe they don't has as much longevity?) but this one was great.  It's a spicy little blend of Zinfandel and Primitivo (related varietals) and Cabernet Sauvignon.  Yes, we took this to karaoke with us, and it held up well to Elvis (see photo below) Neil Diamond, and Cher.
Fresh and vibrant on the nose with notes of watermelon, plum, strawberry, and some almost oaky spice. The wine is close to bone dry, crisp and refreshing.  There is still quite a bit of that fresh juicy fruit on the palate and a pleasing finish.  Very good.  If you see this - definitely pick up a bottle or order some on their website.

Greek Rose I had at Nerai in NYC

Gaia, Agiorgitiko 14-18h Rosé 2013 
Peloponnese, Greece
http://nerainyc.com/  and http://www.gaia-wines.gr/en/products/agiorgitiko-14-18-h
$15.99
I enjoyed a glass of this at Nerai in midtown NYC pre-karaoke.  It's a chic Greek restaurant whose white stone walls make you feel like you could be if not in Mykonos then at least on vacation!  All of my pictures I took were blurry, so sorry for the stock photo.  This rosé was the most interesting one that I tried - and the cheapest!!
The grape here is Agiorgitiko, a fragrant grape that is the main red grape in Nemea (Peleponnese penninsula).  This wine is named for the time it spends on the skins... somewhere between 14 and 18 hours.  The color on this rosé was also quite dark, and deep pink/purple.  The nose was extrememly fragrant in a unique way.  along with the typical and enjoyable aromas of plum and cherry, there was also a distict herbal note of tarragon and rosemary.  It was very intriquing.  There was a slight bitterness on the palate, not unlike an amaro, followed by the fruit notes of the nose.  Very cool, and quite a bargain for under $20.  Support Greek wines!!!!  They need our help, consumers.

Hendry Rose at Karaoke - Elvis in the background.

30 Days of Rosé - an Exploration in Pink

I  LOVE rosés.  I am so happy to see that more and more people are loving them, too.  Wine stores are dedicating more space to them with pretty pink displays.  Wine lists are featuring rosé wines outside the summer months.  Having returned earlier this summer from Provence where I was hooked up with a veritable IV of rosé, I am glad that my addiction can continue.

Not only does rosé look pretty in the glass, it is really affordable (most available for under $20 a bottle), it's generally yummily aromatic, and with more and more producers bottling a rosé, we can really explore the world through this lovely style.

The challenge, I give myself (total hardship) is to drink rosés for the next 30 days.  Before I begin on this rosy journey with you all, I want to give you a little 411 on Rosé to make sure we're all on the same page. 

 Rosé Primer for all of your Pink Questions

How is it made?

Two major ways for quality pink- with red grapes through skin contact or saignée method:

Via  straight skin contact. Red grapes are picked, crushed and the juice and skins remain in contact for anywhere from several hours to about 3 days.  Skins are tossed before fermentation (unlike in red wine production where skins stay in contact). These grapes are destined to become rosé from their early days in the vineyard.  Let's say it's a Pinot Noir rosé - those Pinot Noir grapes will be treated differently in the vineyard, harvested at a different time than Pinot grapes that will be vinified red.  Result - skin-contact rosés tend to have more integrity and nuance.  

Saignée (Fr.bleeding) method - or I will call it BY-Product Method- this is where wine is bled off from red wine production before fermentation.  It's main purpose it to intensify the red, to add tannin & color because the volume of juice in the must is reduced, and the must involved in the maceration becomes more concentrated. It seems like this would have less integrity than the skin contact method, but I've tried some great rosés done in this way.

Is all Rosé Pepto Pink?

There are many colors of the rosé  rainbow - ranging from pale orangey onion skin (many Provence roses) to a bright clear red (think fruit punch)

But I don't like sweet wine

Don't worry, not all rosé  is sweet.  I know that most of you know that anyway, but 9.5 out of 10 roses are going to be dry.  They may be fruity with wonderful aromas of watermelon, cherry, and strawberry but it won't be sweet.  It may look like fruit punch, but it doesn't taste that way.

Sweet Rosé  - White Zinfandel, Rosé d'Anjou, White Merlot - anything labeled blush (rarer these days)

How do I pair food with Rosé

This is one of the top reasons why I love this style of wine... it is easily paired with food. 

• Pair it with nothing - drink/guzzle it without food
• Salads - salade nicoise, charred salmon atop greens, Caesar salad
• Spice - can hold up to heat.  bring on the spicy chicken wings and curries
• sandwiches - no one talks about pairing your Sammie with wine -- a great rosé will pair with your turkey and avocado on brioche.
• Meats - pork loin = perfect (depending on the rub you might even take a darker rosé)  chicken of course.  duck?  of course!