A Rosé by any other name

Well, here we are in mid-May, which means warmer temperatures (even where I live), and thoughts of enjoying a glass or few outdoors with friends & family. A perfect combination for our latest wine: Rosé.

Hopefully this pulls in both our red and white fans!

Once again we have one of those wine names that doesn’t tell you very much. Very simply, the word Rosé is a reference to the color of the wine. It tells us nothing about where the wine is from or what grape(s) went into making it. And it isn’t just one color. Maybe more than straight reds or whites, Rosés can come in a wide range of hues.

So let’s get started. It might be good to step back for a moment to Wine 101 and remember how wine gets its color in the first place:

The juice from grapes is generally clear. Most of the color in wine actually comes from the amount of skin contact during fermentation. The skins are where most of the pigments are found, and they will impart the wine’s color, depending on the specific fermentation process.

While a Rosé can be made in more than one way, the typical method is “maceration”, where the red grape skins are allowed to remain in contact with the juice for a limited period of time. At this stage, the liquid is referred to as “must”, as it contains not only skins but seeds and maybe stems as well.

The amount of “soak time” can range from 4-6 hours on the short end to 12+ on the long end. The longer the contact, the deeper the color and richer the flavor (the type of grape will be a factor as well). Once the wine reaches the desired color, the juice is siphoned-off and fermentation continues.

Ok, that explains the color. So what grapes go into making Rosé? The answer is pretty much any red grape. Old World Rosés are often made with varietals such as Grenache, Syrah, Carignan, Cinsault and even Sangiovese and Tempranillo. New World Rosés can be made with Pinot Noir, Cabernet Franc, even Malbec and Cabernet Sauvignon. Most Rosés are dry in style, but you can find some off-dry versions as well if you like wines that are a little sweeter.

Now that we know what’s in the bottle, we can probably guess where Rosé comes from: all over! For our Rosé journey, we will start in what is arguably ground zero for great Rosé wine: the south of France. We will conclude with a different kind of Rosé from a very unexpected place (you have to wait for it…).

First up: “La Solitude”, a Grenache & Syrah blend from Domaine de la Solitude in the southern Rhone. This wine should be widely available as it is distributed by Dreyfus, Ashby & Co, one of the premier wine importers & distributors in the US. I bought this at my local Heinens for approximately $14-15.

These wines both have great family histories. La Solitude is made by what is known as “the youngest 600 year old Estate in Europe”. Domaine de la Solitude is located in the prestigious Chateauneuf-du-Pape region of the southern Rhone. It is that dark blue area just north of the city of Avignon.

The Lancon family, owners of Domaine de la Solitude for generations, are descended from a family by the name of Barberini. In the 1600s, a Barberini became Pope Urban VIII! In addition, two of his nephews were Cardinals. The Solitude label honors this heritage, with a papal crown on top of the shield with two red cardinal hats on either side.

The family owns approximately 95 acres in Chateauneuf-du-Pape proper, and another 120 acres in surrounding Cotes-du-Rhone, where our wine comes from. They invested heavily in the 80s and 90s, and now make a range of high quality red and white wines. Here is a shot of their winery in the background and nearby vines:

Tasting:

This is traditional south of France Rosé: 70% Grenache, 30% Syrah. The color is medium pink, what you’d expect from a blend of these grapes. On the nose, you get aromas of both blossoms and fruit (maybe a blood orange?). This Rosé is light bodied, with low tannin and good acidity. The initial hit on your palate is classic strawberry flavors from the Grenache, complimented by some white pepper qualities from the Syrah. The finish is clean and fresh - just what you want from a Rosé! It keeps you coming back for another sip (or more).

The Bottom Line:

This is the perfect wine as Spring starts turning to Summer. It is delicious by itself, but is also very food friendly (see below). If you are not already a Rosé fan, but want to find the right place to start in the sea of pink on your retailer’s shelves, look for a wine like this from the south of France. Your wallet and palate will thank you.

Next: the 2018 Bekaa Rosé from Domaine des Tourelles. Available at my local Heinens and also from Wine Library for about $15.

A quick glance at the label says this is another French wine, right? Wrong! This wine comes from the Bekaa Valley, as in LEBANON! That’s right, Lebanon.

Lebanon’s history with wine is as old as any on the planet. In terms of more modern day winemaking, Lebanon’s original wineries were established in the mid 1800s. The French influence can be seen right on the label, as many begin with the word “Chateau” or “Domaine” (including our producer). Conflict in the region has been disruptive at times, but hasn’t stopped the growth of Lebanese wines. Today there are reported to be as many as 50 wineries in the country.

Let’s get the map out:

The Bekaa Valley is a long, narrow, high-altitude (3000 ft) plateau running north/south between two mountain ranges. Many of the country’s wineries (including ours) are lined-up in the valley between the two ranges . Summers are hot with little rain, but Mount Lebanon is a source of snow run-off and the high altitude and valley orientation provides significant cooling in the evening.

Domaine des Tourelles is a great family business and in fact is one of Lebanon’s oldest wineries. It was established by a French civil engineer by the last name of Brun in the 1860s. In 2003 Elie Issa and a partner acquired Chateau des Tourelles. Elie was a long-time friend of the Brun family. Today, Elie’s children run the business, with son Faouzi as the winemaker. Faouzi oversees almost 100 acres of organic, dry-farmed vineyards. “Minimal intervention” is his approach.

I had the distinct pleasure of meeting Faouzi and sitting next to him at private tasting of Domaine des Tourelles wines. He trained in France at the prestigious Chateau Margaux amongst others. He is very passionate about his vines, his land, and what they produce. He is the face of Domaine des Tourelles.

Tasting:

Right away we know we are probably dealing with some different grapes than the Grenache-based Cotes-du-Rhone. The color is deeper…more salmon than pink. Sure enough, the Bekaa Rosé is a blend of 40% Cinsault (pronounced “sin-so”, a minor blending grape in the Rhone), 30% Syrah and 30% Tempranillo. Our earlier travels have exposed us to Syrah and Tempranillo, so we know this wine will be “bigger”.

On the nose, you get the red fruit (cherry, red currant) from the Cinsault, and some game, earth and spice from the Syrah and Tempranillo. On the palate, the red berries give way to more blue & black fruit, with some meaty notes following through. This is where the Syrah and Tempranillo are showing themselves. Some of that spice from the nose is present as well. However, tannins are not as prominent given the higher percentage of Cinsault, so it is a little more approachable. Acidity is moderate.

The Bottom Line:

I like this wine. I would like it even if I hadn’t spent time with Faouzi! The 3 different grapes makes this a versatile wine which can have broad appeal. The Bekaa Rosé provides a good bookend to the lighter, summer fruit style of a Rosé like the La Solitude. Both are very enjoyable. You just need to find the style that is right for you. Or maybe you’re like me and you want both of them!

Rosé and Food:

Rosé has you covered! The lighter, Grenache-based style is good with salads, lighter pasta dishes, seafood & shellfish, goat cheese and just all by itself. As the weather gets hotter, these wines taste even better!

For the bigger Rosés, think bigger flavors such as paella, grilled chicken and for sure lamb with herbs. It may be hard to believe, but this style is great for barbecues - just make sure you serve it a little cooler. These wines are also a good match with patés and charcuterie.

Other Suggestions:

As with previous posts, this is a category too broad to do it justice here. Let me leave you with this:

In France, besides our Cotes-du-Rhone here, look for wines made in Provence, including all the way down to the Mediterranean in Bandol. By the way, many of these producers have very stylish bottlings- check them out. Other Old World places to look for Rosé: Spain’s Navarra and Rioja regions; Portugal (for an off-dry style); and Italy, where it is called Rosato and comes in many different styles, from north to south.

Last word on Lebanon: Although Lebanese wines are not as broadly distributed, I recommend you try to find some. In addition to our friends at Domaine des Tourelles, here are some others worth looking for:

Chateau Musar - a storied name with high recognition in western markets
Chateau Ksara - the oldest in Lebanon
Chateau Kefraya

Well, that about does it. As always, I hope you enjoyed. More importantly, I hope you are expanding your wine horizons, and having fun in the process. Because as we know, that’s what it’s all about.

Until next time….Cheers!

savoir-faire

California Here I Come