[wine] Pinks w/ Panache, Panachee, Panachio, plumage, etc.

A Whiter Shade of Red By Dave McIntyre Wednesday, June 17, 2009 We seem to be getting over our hang-ups about pink wine. And that's a good thing, though perhaps with a (slight) downside. U.S. sales of imported roséines increased 42 percent in the past year, according to a study commissioned by the Provence Wine Council. A self-serving survey, perhaps, because Provence is the land of roséBut an enlightening one, because it shows how Americans' perceptions of wine are changing. No longer does pink wine mean the sweet pablum of white zinfandel. We apparently have embraced the idea of rosés a dry semi-white wine with red characteristics. A good roséan be an ideal end to a sweaty workday and an electrifying start to a summer supper. It can transform your mood from glum to cheerful in a single sip, transferring the cares from your shoulders to the setting sun as it seeps into the horizon. We love roséecause we are becoming more comfortable with wine. The world's greatest wines engage our intellects as well as our senses, but roséill have none of that. It is pure, unadulterated fun. While a high-scoring cult wine may offer gobs of this and layers of that, a well-chilled roséaptures the summer sun, whether reflected off the Mediterranean at a plaza cafe along the Cote d'Azur or off a backyard swimming pool in Upper Marlboro. Rosés the essence of summer. What is the downside of all this? As rosébecome more popular, more of them become available in our market, and their quality varies. The good news about that bad news is that as I've tasted my way through a bunch of rosénow on retail shelves, I have found very few inferior ones, just a lot of pleasant ones. And some exciting ones. So what should you consider in an Old World rosé(I will discuss New World rosénext week.) Vintage matters, but not as much as you might think. The common wisdom is that rosés best the year after the harvest, so you'll see many 2008s on retail shelves this summer. But many 2007s are drinking beautifully right now, and because of the market bias for young rosétheir prices may be discounted. Don't overlook them. Color really doesn't matter. Rosérange from a vibrant, translucent red to an ethereal pale hue. Some people say the palest roséare the best, but that is a matter of taste. Tavel, a town in the southern Rhone Valley, is known for deep-colored, vibrant rosé while Bandol, a bit farther south along the Mediterranean coast east of Marseille, produces wines of a light, delicate color. Both can be excellent. A true rosés bled, not blended. The winemaker bleeds off the juice from the skins of red grapes (a wine's color comes from the grape's skin) after a short maceration. (The notable exception is sparkling wines, such as champagne, that do mix red and white varieties in their rosé) The European Commission created a scandal recently by proposing to legalize the blending of red and white grapes to make roséable wine; an outcry by producers and customers forced officials to withdraw the idea. Rosés either an intentional creation or a byproduct of red wine production. A winemaker who intends to make roséill pick the grapes just as ripening begins, when they retain vibrant acidity and sugar levels are not too high. If a red is the goal, the winemaker picks the grapes later, when sugar levels are higher, then bleeds off a portion of the juice immediately after crushing in order to concentrate the flavors and color in the remaining juice. In the past, that bled-off juice was discarded or sold to make bulk wine, until wineries realized that roséas marketable. Those latter roséare often called "saignee," from the French word for "to bleed," even though that term applies to the technique by which all roséare made. They are often quite pleasant. But they rarely offer the excitement and liveliness of wines that were intended to be pink. Dave McIntyre can be reached through his Web site, http://www.dmwineline.com, or at food(a)washpost.com. Recommendations Wednesday, June 17, 2009 Domaine Lucien Lardy "Opaline" 2008 *** Beaujolais-Villages, France, $13 (Great Value) Salmon color, with an intriguing nose of wild strawberry and mint, followed by a vibrant expression of the gamay grape with citrus, clove and cardamom. Exotic for a rosécombining traditional structure with modern fruity exuberance. There are more classic rosé but few better. The grapes are from vines averaging 50 years of age. Wine Traditions: available in Maryland at Finewine.com in Gaithersburg; available in Virginia at Arrowine in Arlington, Cecile's Wine Cellar in McLean. Jean-Luc Colombo, 2008 *** Cote Bleue, France, $12 (Great Value) Exotic aromas of orange peel and cardamom, enticing balance and mouth-filling fruit that belies the pale salmon color. Republic National: available in the District at Circle Wine & Liquor, Cleveland Park Wine and Spirits, Connecticut Avenue Wine & Liquor, Morris Miller Wine & Liquor, Rodman's; on the list at Cafe du Parc, Cedar, Juniper, L'Enfant Cafe-Bar. Available in Virginia at Wegmans locations. Alain Jaume et Fils "Clos de Sixte" 2008 ** Lirac, France, $27 Vibrant deep red color, mouth-filling and exuberant; a textbook rosérom the southern Rhone Valley. Kysela: available in the District at Calvert Woodley; on the list at Michel Richard Citronelle. Available in Maryland at Mills Fine Wine and Spirits in Annapolis. Available in Virginia at Out of Site Wines in Vienna, Vineyard of Virginia in McLean, Wegmans locations; on the list at Eiffel Tower Cafe in Leesburg, Tallula in Arlington. Domaine de Cambis, "La Vie en Rose" 2008 ** Saint-Chinian, France, $16 Pale and delicate in color and flavor, with strawberry, watermelon and cherry along with a hint of salty sea air. OSLO Enterprise/Voila Collection: available in the District at Ace Beverage, Bell Wine & Spirits, MacArthur Beverages. Available in Maryland at Franklin's Restaurant, Brewery and General Store in Hyattsville, Rip's Wine and Spirit Shop in Bowie, Iron Bridge Wine in Columbia, Mills Fine Wine and Spirits in Annapolis, the Wine Source and Bin 604 in Baltimore; on the list at Cafe de Paris in Columbia. Mas de Gourgonnier 2007 ** Les Baux-de-Provence, France, $10 (Great Value) Discounted because it is considered ancient at the grand old age of two. Maturity suits it well, with intriguing flavors of wood spice and wild fruit. Organic. Dionysus: available in the District at various Whole Foods Market locations; on the list at Restaurant Nora. Available in Maryland at MOM's in Rockville; available in Virginia at MOM's in Alexandria, Whole Foods Market locations. 1+1=3 Cabernet Sauvignon Rosado 2008 * 1/2 Penedes, Spain, $16 Modern in style: full-bodied for a roséwith sappy, sweet-ripe fruit. Grapes of Spain/Elite: available in the District at Bell Wine & Spirits, Cleveland Park Wine and Spirits, MacArthur Beverages, Schneider's of Capitol Hill, various Whole Foods Markets, Wide World of Wines; on the list at Bodega, Jaleo, La Tasca (all area locations), Taberna del Alabardero. Available in Maryland at Finewine.com in Gaithersburg. Available in Virginia at Arrowine in Arlington, Whole Foods Markets; on the list at El Manantial in Reston. Masciarelli Rosé'Abruzzo 2008 * 1/2 Abruzzo, Italy, $12 A delightful, refreshing quaffer with a "Fritalian" name. Juicy and fun. Constantine: widely available, including in the District at Cleveland Park Wine and Spirits, De Vinos, Marvelous Market (Georgetown), Yes! Organic Market (Brookland); in Maryland at Chesapeake Wine Co., Grand Cru and the Wine Source in Baltimore. Finca Torremilanos Montecastrillo Rosado 2008 * 1/2 Ribera del Duero, Spain, $15 Bright strawberry-red color and exuberant fruit; slightly tart but an excellent foil for acidic foods such as olives and anchovies. Grapes of Spain/Elite: available in the District at MacArthur Beverages, Wide World of Wines; available in Maryland at Silesia Liquors in Fort Washington, Spirits of Mount Vernon in Baltimore; available in Virginia at Arrowine in Arlington, Cecile's Wine Cellar in McLean, Food Matters in Alexandria. -- ------------------------------ * Dr. James Ellingson, jellings(a)me.umn.edu * * University of Minnesota, mobile : 651/645-0753 * * Great Lakes Brewing News, 1569 Laurel Ave., St. Paul, MN 55104 *