Happy National Rosé Day! This celebration was officially registered in 2014 by Bodvár House of Rosés and it is celebrated each year on the second Saturday in June.
Consumers are learning that Rosé wines aren’t just sweet, pink plonk anymore. Provence, in the South of France, is infamous for their dry Rosés and there are wonderful Rosé wines now from all around the globe; British Columbia (BC) is no exception. Most wineries in BC produce a Rosé and many are sold out before we hit mid-summer. Painted Rock is a perfect example of this phenomenon, as their Rosé sold out this year within six hours of release!
Rosé wines are closer in character to white wines than to red, and they are available in a variety of styles from sweet to dry. They are ready to drink upon release and, in general, they are not meant for cellaring. Rosés are not just patio-sippers either. They pair well with a myriad of foods including charcuterie, salads, pasta, roasted chicken, pork and turkey dinner; so you may want to save some bottles for Thanksgiving too.
So how do Rosés obtain their delicate, pink hue? Red wines receive their colour from the skin of black grape varietals through maceration. Maceration is when grapes are pressed and the juice is allowed to sit on the skins. For red wines maceration can last from several days to several months, and it usually extends through the fermentation stage. For the maceration of Rosé wines, the skins are removed before the wine gets too dark. The juice is then fermented and turned into wine. This is called the press method.
Rosés can also be made using a technique called saignée, which is the French word for bleeding. Saignée (pronounced san-yay) is actually a byproduct of red winemaking. During maceration, juice is bled-off in order to create a higher ratio of grape skins to grape juice, resulting in a more concentrated red wine. The juice that is bled off is pink in colour and it is fermented to produce a Rosé wine.
Although not as common these days, Rosé wines can also be made by mixing red and white wines together.
This year I had the opportunity to taste eight Rosés from BC wineries and here they are in alphabetical order.
Cedar Creek 2017 Platinum “Block 1” Single Vineyard Pinot Noir Rosé $29.99
12.9% ABV // TA 6.10 g/l // RS 3.9 g/l // pH 3.3
This Rosé is 100% Pinot Noir made using the press method. The grapes were “harvested over two picks in September ten days apart, the first pick captured more of the herbaceous, grapefruit and watermelon flavours. The second pick of slightly riper fruit adds classic Rosé notes of strawberries and cream.”[1] 89% of fermentation was carried out in stainless steel while the remaining 11% was in neutral oak. The fermented wine then spent three months on lees.
There are aromas of pink grapefruit, rose, and minerality with hints of raspberry and strawberry. This wine is medium minus in body with juicy, mouthwatering acidity. The palate starts off sweet with Maynards Sweedish Berries, raspberries and strawberries but then it becomes dry and refreshing with notes of pink grapefruit and cranberries leading to a medium finish.
Cedar Creek was purchased in 1986 and they released their first vintage in 1987. Its success was driven by the vision of Senator Ross Fitzpatrick during a time when the BC wine industry was on shaky ground due to the Free Trade Agreement. Fitzpatrick was born and raised in the Okanagan but he left in pursuit of a career in business. When he returned, his success in business allowed him to pursue his passion. He was a proponent for replacing hybrid varietals with premium vinifera vines and improving winemaking techniques. In 1992, the judges at the Okanagan Wine Festival were so impressed by the Cedar Creek Merlot that they created a new award category called ‘Platinum’. Thus the top tier at Cedar Creek is still known as ‘Platinum’ to this day. In 2014 ownership of Cedar Creek was transferred to Anthony von Mandl of Mission Hill and now after 30 years in the business, Cedar Creek is reviving their physical presence. A new tasting room and restaurant is being built on the property and it is slated to open this fall.
Diabolica 2017 Rosé $15.99
12.2% ABV // TA 6.7 g/l // RS unavailable // pH 3.19
Diabolica is a virtual winery under the Mark Anthony umbrella. This Rosé is a blend of 53% Merlot, 33% Pinot Noir and 14% Syrah; grapes were sourced from vineyards in Osoyoos and Oliver.
This off-dry wine provides aromas of roses and pink grapefruit while the palate offers sweet, red fruit along with some floral notes. This Rosé should be enjoyed well chilled on the patio and it would pair well with fresh, spicy salsa and tortilla chips or other spicy, summer fare.
JoieFarm 2017 Rosé $20.78
12.8% ABV // TA unavailable // RS unavailable // pH unavailable
This dry Rosé is made from 80% Pinot Noir and 20% Gamay using the press method. Grapes were hand harvested, sorted and de-stemmed, then cold soaked for two days to extract intense color and flavour. The grapes were then gravity fed into a press and gently squeezed. The grape must was allowed to settle for several days, followed by fermentation in stainless steel tanks for two weeks. The wine then underwent a second racking, then stabilization and filtering.
On the nose I found minerality, cured meats, sage, strawberry, cherry, melon and grapefruit. In the mouth this dry wine has a creamy viscosity and an intense palate. There are flavours of salted raspberries alongside juicy, thawed, frozen strawberries. There are also flavours of smoke, cured meat and grapefruit with a lingering finish.
Heidi Noble is the owner and executive winemaker at JoieFarm Winery and she is also a trained chef, certified sommelier and author of a book entitled Menus from an Orchard Table. Heidi’s Sommelier training was an avenue for her to exit the restaurant industry and enter the wine trade working on the import side of the industry. She eventually moved to the Okanagan, arriving on the Naramata Bench in 2003. The first vintage from JoieFarm was in 2004. They are known for their aromatic whites, Pinot Noir, Chardonnay and, of course, their Rosé. Heidi is now fully immersed in the operation of her winery, but she still keeps one foot in the gastronomic side of things. JoieFarm also hosts an outdoor “salon” called Piqnique which serves-up European inspired dishes which are made using fresh, local ingredients.
LaStella 2017 LaStellina Rosato $22.99
12.9% ABV // TA unavailable // RS 4.8 g/l // pH unavailable
This Rosé is a blend of 62% Cabernet Franc, 32% Merlot and 6% Sangiovese. It was made using a combination of Saignée and press method. This wine spent four months on the lees in stainless steel tanks. In the vineyard, vines with fruit destined to be made into Rosé are either young vines or vines at the bottom of slopes. Vines at the bottom of slopes are provided with a vast amount of nutrients due to drainage, and thus they are very productive vines. This productivity does not produce high phenolic ripeness in the grapes, and phenolic ripeness is needed to produce a good red wine. Lesser phenolic ripeness does however create fruit with a flavor profile that is suited for Rosé.
On the nose I found cranberry juice and then minerality lifted by hints of citrus zest. There were also notes of cinnamon and bay leaf. The slightly off-dry palate offers red fruit: raspberries, strawberries and cranberries, along with salty minerality and a touch of something herbaceous, like thyme.
LaStella was the second winery to be opened by proprietors Sean and Saeedeh Salem; it opened its doors in 2006. Since 2010 the wines have been made by French winemaker Severine Pinte. The wines of LaStella are inspired by the robust wines of Tuscany.
Le Vieux Pin 2017 Vaïla $23.99
12.4% ABV // TA unavailable // RS bone dry // pH unavailable
This wine is made from 100% Pinot Noir using the press method. These Pinot Noir grapes are grown specifically for producing a Rosé. Canopy management reflects the desire to shade the grapes, preserving acidity and producing a specific flavour profile including tart rhubarb and grapefruit notes.
Vaïla is the driest wine in this bunch of Rosés, and it is lovely. There are aromas of salty brine, blossoms, rhubarb, grapefruit zest and a sense of minerality that is reminiscent of a young Riesling. This wine is medium bodied with refreshing, mouth-watering acidity. The palate is salty and savoury offering notes of rhubarb, celery and cranberry with grapefruit pith and red apples on the lingering finish.
In 2005, proprietors Sean and Saeedeh Salem made their winery dream a reality when they opened Le Vieux Pin, with elegant wines inspired by the Rhône wine region in France. They didn’t stop there though – their love of both French and Italian food, wine and culture led them to open a second winery in 2006, called LaStella, which is inspired by the robust wines of Tuscany. Both wineries share the same winemaker, Severine Pinte, who creates a distinct and incredible wine portfolio for each winery.
Mission Hill 2017 Five Vineyards Rosé $15.99
12.7% ABV // TA 6.5 g/l // RS unavailable // pH 3.26
This Rosé is a blend of 45% Merlot, 35% Shiraz and 20% Pinot Noir. The grapes were picked early and pressed the same day without any maceration. A pneumatic press was used for the Pinot Noir and the Merlot, while a basket press was used for the Shiraz.
There are aromas of white pepper, jasmine, pink grapefruit and cherry. The palate is slightly off-dry providing flavours of rose, cherry and strawberry with hints of pink grapefruit and melon on the medium finish.
When you appreciate the beauty and grandeur of the Mission Hill property it is difficult to imagine its humble beginnings. Anthony von Mandl was just barely able to purchase the property in 1981; he had to amalgamate all of his assets, including his own home, in order to do so. He was driven by his vision for what the BC wine industry could become. This drive, along with hard work and a series of smart business decisions and investments, has enabled Mission Hill to realize Anthony von Mandl’s vision of producing wines that can stand proudly on the world stage.
Monster Vineyards 2017 Rosé $15.99
ABV 13% // TA 5.9 g/l // RS 5.4 g/l // pH 3.5
This Rosé is a blend of 48% Merlot, 29% Malbec, 13% Cabernet Franc and 10% Syrah; it is made using the Saignée method. On the nose there are aromas of strawberry preserves, melon and pink grapefruit. It has a medium plus body with a creamy mouth feel. The palate carries a burst of sweetness offering flavours of strawberry, melon and pink grapefruit, with cranberries and more strawberries on the medium finish.
Monster Vineyards is located in Penticton, BC and it was founded by the owners of Poplar Grove. Monster Vineyards released its first vintage in 2006 and it has a large enough facility to produce and cellar most of the wines for both Poplar Grove and Monster Vineyards; a capacity of 30,000 cases.
Monster Vineyards has a fun label referencing the monster “Ogopogo” (kind of like a Canadian version of the Loch Ness Monster) which, legend has it, lives close to Monster Vineyards in the nearby Okanagan Lake.
Poplar Grove 2016 Blanc de Noirs $21.65
12.9% ABV // TA 6.50 g/l // RS 3.7 g/l // pH 3.55
This wine is a blend of 55% Malbec, 25% Syrah, 10% Merlot and 10% Cabernet Franc and it was made using the Saignée method. Grapes were hand-picked and sorted in the vineyard. The juice was then cold settled and fermented.
This Rosé has complexity, structure and length. It offers aromas of jasmine and black tea followed by pink grapefruit rind, melon, strawberries, white pepper and arrowroot crackers. It is medium bodied with a creamy mouth-feel. The palate is dry, intense and bright, with flavours of strawberry jam, brine and pink grapefruit. The midpalate is filled-out with white pepper and cranberries, while strawberry compote makes an appearance on the long finish.
The first vintage for Poplar Grove was in 1995; these wines were released in 1997 and met with acclaim. Ten years later Dr. Tony Holler purchased majority holdings in Poplar Grove injecting his strong vision into the already successful winery. Poplar Grove has quickly become a family affair for the Holler’s. Tony’s wife, Barbara, owns and operates their estate vineyards while their sons, Andrew and Matthew, manage the vineyards. Poplar Grove is located on the Naramata Bench and they use only estate grown grapes from vineyards in Naramata and Osoyoos, which are farmed sustainably.
Footnotes
[1] Cedar Creek Estate Winery: https://shop.cedarcreek.bc.ca/product/2017-Platinum-Rose
Sources
Puckette, M. (May 9, 2013). Different Shades of Rosé Wine. Retrieved from https://winefolly.com/review/many-different-shades-of-rose-wine/
Beckstoffer, A. (June 6, 2017). Wine Tip: Everything You Ever Wanted to Know About Rosé. Retrieved from https://www.winespectator.com/webfeature/show/id/Wine-Tip-Everything-You-Ever-Wanted-To-Know-About-Rosé-Wine?utm_medium=email&utm_source=Sips-Tips-060617A&utm_campaign=SipsTips060617
National Calendar – National Rosé Day
Pawsey, T. (Summer 2018). Getting to Know Heidi Noble of JoieFarm. BC Liquor Store TASTE Magazine: Volume 20, Issue 2.
Interview with Rasoul Salehi, Director of Sales and Marketing and Managing Partner at Le Vieux Pin and LaStella. May 17th, 2018.