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!

Say SI to Falanghina

Say SI to Falanghina

A Southern Italian white that you should be drinking now

This Feudi di San Gregorio Falanghina del Sannio 2012 made it's way into my refrigerator and I've been enjoying it over the last two nights.  It held up on night #2.  Brava!

411: Falanghina is an ancient white grape of Greek origin and it's grown in the volcanic soil in Naples's province of Campagnia.   Jancis Robinson says it can also be referred to as Falanghina Greco (some of you may know and love another Campanian white called Greco di Tufo).

Falanghina is a mineral driven white with lovely floral and citrus components.
I would drink these young, but I'm sure there is a case for aging Falangine (plural?) because of the acidity.  At any rate, I would say that most of the wines we get in the under $20 category should be drunk max 2 years old. 

The Feudi Falanghina  was from the 2012 vintage, and I expected to detect some age (ie oxidation or loss of fruit), however, it was still quite bright and fresh.  The color was a mellow straw, and the nose was very aromatic and fresh.  There was a hint of orange peel, Meyer lemon, and melon.  On the palate, the flavors mirrored the nose, but there was also a crisp mineral sensation which paired really well with my curried chicken and avocado salad. 


Oh, and don't be afraid of mispronouncing this if you want to order it on a wine list.  It's pronounced Fa-lan-geeee-nuh.  I was having a lovely lunch with my parents at the ever amazing A Voce in New York City, and my Dad was a little tentative in asking the server for a glass, but the wonderful waiter didn't know how to pronounce it either - and they've got great training there, so just do your best and don't worry.  Point if you have to.  Don't let it stop you from exploring a new wine.  No one's judging you and if they are... they should be put in a pneumatic press!

Lone Star Stunner - Kiepersol Syrah 2001

I recently brought a Keipersol Vineyards 2001 Syrah to a blind tasting group that I TRY to attend once a week. We were instructed to bring any major red grape varietal, and being the procrastinator I am... put off and put off going to the wine store to buy a bottle for the tasting. I ended up pulling something from my own cellar (read - living room) and discovered I had a bottle of Texan wine from 3-4 years ago when I was visiting my parents in Houston. I had dismissed the bottle as anything even slightly good and I brought it as a lark to the tasting... even offering 10 bucks if someone could correctly identify its origin.

The joke was on me. The Kiepersol Syrah turned out to be the favorite of the tasting group. With it's smoky aromas and notes of leather, raspberry, spice and barnyard - everyone declared it old world. The palate had more spice, and hints of cherry and long finish. Definitely France, they said - most likely Rhone Valley.

When the Texan label was revealed we were all floored. No one received the 10 dollars... but for such a sophisticated wine - 10 dollars wasn't much more than what I paid for it. I even bought it at the supermarket! It wasn't more than $15! This could stand up to the weightiest steak and after doing a little research - Keipersol also sells cattle - that seems to be what they're aiming for.

This was also their second vintage. Their Syrah is obviously age-worthy. The next time I'm in Texas -- I'll take a trip up to Tyler (near Dallas) and visit them!