A rosé by any name pleases the masses
Even if Americans don't know what to call rosé wine - rose, pink, white or blush - we sure drink plenty of it.
According to Nielsen Co., sales of rosé priced above $8 grew 49.1 percent in the past year, nearly 17 times greater than other wines.
Traditional wine-loving nations don't have this trouble with nomenclature. In France, it's rosé ('pink') or vin gris ('gray wine'). In Spain, rosado is a light rose; clarete is nearly red.
After all, rosé is really red wine. Because most grapes have clear juice, wine becomes red when red skins release their color into juice, first when grapes are pressed, next during the heat of fermentation. To make a white wine from red grapes (such as most Champagne), skins are whisked off juice in a heartbeat. For a deep red (such as Zinfandel), skins and juice are left in contact for weeks.
For rosé (such as white Zinfandel), skin contact may last a few hours. In fact, white Zinfandel was "invented" in the 1970s when a California winemaker accidentally removed his juice from red Zin skins too soon. White Zin quickly dominated the market, attracting an American palate thirsty for sweet, low alcohol refreshment.
For better or worse, white wine is now California's cash cow - quickly made and sold. The better: white Zin is an easy, affordable quaff, especially in summer's heat, chilled to slush for sweet cocktails and to complement lighter dishes and spicy cuisines. The worse: you have to enjoy drinking cotton candy. (Beringer Vineyard makes America's top-selling white Zinfandel, about $10.)
Other wine lands treat rosé with more respect. Throughout the Mediterranean, rosé satisfies local demand for dry wine, refreshing enough to enjoy on a warm day, but complex enough to satisfy a palate devoted to red.
A major difference is the grape. In Spain, it's Garnacha, with pale-ish skin but plenty of fruit and spice flavors, that makes world-class rosé. Bodegas Nekeas "Vega Sindoa" Navarra Rosado (about $10), with fresh strawberry aroma and balanced, soft flavors, is an appealing complement to tapas, cured meats and eggs dishes. Another rosado to try is Julian Chivite "Gran Fuedo" (about $10).
In France, winemakers add Syrah - with firm tannin and peppery flavors - and other southern grapes for rich, dry wines to complement spicy Mediterranean flavors and cured meats.
For his "Rose de Cote Bleue," acclaimed Rhone winemaker Jean-Luc Colombo handpicks Syrah, Mourvedre and Cournoise, then allows the newly fermented wine to rest on the lees (yeast cells) for four weeks in temperature-controlled tanks for complex flavors combining berries and herbs. (About $10.)
Domaine Nizas (about $17) blends Syrah, Grenache and Mourvedre for elegant, dry flavors with a mouthful of berry fruit accented by brisk minerality. The winemaker's favorite food complement is Moroccan cuisine, especially lamb tagine.
Mas de Gourgonnier (about $18) blends Grenache, Syrah, Mourvedre, Cinsault and Cabernet Sauvignon for refreshing dry, berry flavors, bold enough to marry foods from salads to cold meats.
South American winemaker Susanna Balboa employs Malbec - Argentina's signature red grape - for her Crios, Rosé of Malbec (about $10), with rich, delicately sweet flavors and vibrant acidity, like biting into a perfectly ripe strawberry. The long finish is an added bonus, especially when served with rich seafood, sausages and the richest salads.
Caveat emptor: Don't be fooled by rosé's easy-to-drink flavors. Many pack a wallop of more than 13.5 percent alcohol. As always, eat before, during and after drinking rose and limit consumption to about one glass per hour.
• Advanced sommelier and certified wine educator writes Good Wine twice a month in Food. Write her at food@dailyherald.com.
Ross' choice
Verdejo/ Viura
2007 El Hada
Rueda, Spain
• Suggested retail and availability: About $14 in wine shops (Distributed by H2Vino)
In the 1970s, northern Spain's Rueda region awakened the world's palate with a new breed of ultra-clean, refreshing white wines. El Hada adds complexity to refreshment, blending two of Spain's finest white grapes - Verdejo (vair-DAY-ho) and Viura (vee-UR-ra) - for a concert of bone-dry, pink grapefruit, lemon-basil and mineral flavors and mouthwatering finish to be enjoyed as a unique cocktail and exciting complement to lighter foods, such as shellfish, salads and light tapas.