The Simple Pleasure of Rosés

Complexity is overrated.  Meals don’t need expensive ingredients and esoteric techniques to be extraordinary.  Nor do wines.  There is great pleasure in simplicity, in freshness, in seasonal goodness.  If you doubt it, try a chilled Rosé paired with one of our hand crafted Pizzas on a hot summer day. Not that one can’t enjoy such a meal in the dead of winter, but there is something to be said for timing, and as far as Rosés go, the time is now, especially for our new addition:  Les Agaves, Cotes de Provence 2010

Crisp, dry and refreshing, Rosés are a red wine lover’s answer to summer. As we already learned, Reds get their color and tannins from allowing the crushed grape juice to macerate (soak) with the skins and seeds before and during fermentation.  White wines never macerate; their juice is removed from the skins immediately after the crush, creating a much more delicate and bright result.  Rosés split the difference, with only limited skin contact, anywhere from a few hours to a few days depending on the grape variety and the winemaker’s preference.

In Provence, the quintessential region for this style, and birthplace of our newest selection, many wines are made by the Saignée or bleeding method. In order to produce a more intense red wine, vintners remove or “bleed” some of the juice during the soaking period. That juice, which is a lighter pink color, is then fermented to create Rosé. This 2 for 1 method yields both a juicy yet delicate Rosé for the summer, and a powerful and intense Red just in time for the cooler weather. Very clever. Whatever the method, Rosés offer the best of both worlds: a wine with the rich flavor profile of reds that can be chilled because of their low tannins and bright acidity like whites. But don’t take our word for it, come and try it for yourself. See you at Vyne!