Sip & Swirl
Warmer weather forecasts rosé days ahead By Lyle W. Norton
Malene winemaker Fin du Fresne.
» IT’S WARMING UP. My peach tree is breaking out in salmon colored blossoms. It reminds me of enjoying a glass of rosé with friends, something I hope to do soon. Rosé has come a long way since the days that some California wineries combined leftover red and white wine and marketed it as such. Whether the grapes are grown exclusively or some red wine juice is bled off early, a process known as the “saignee method,” the core of rosé production is minimal maceration, or limited contact with skins resulting in lighter color and softer flavors. For decades, seasoned U.S. palates have turned to Provencal rosé from southern France. Appellations like Côtes de Provence and Bandol farm the vineyards exclusively for the production of artisanal rosé. They predominantly use Rhone varietals like grenache, syrah, cinsault and mourvedre that produce fresh, fruit-forward rosé wines with
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April 2021
The 2019 Bruliam Rosé of Pinot Noir, 2019 Balverne Rosé of Pinot Noir, 2020 Malene Rosé and 2019 La Bernarde Cotes de Provence Rosé.
an elegant mouthfeel. One such import, from high altitude vines in Côtes de Provence, the pale-pink La Bernarde Cotes de Provence Rose Les Hauts du Luc 2019 ($18) comes from limestone soils that deposit large stones on the surface. Predominantly cinsault, with grenache, mourvedre, rolle and syrah, the aromas were fruity and flinty while the soft, integrated flavors added spice on the finish. This good value rosé is available online. Provencal rosé has both inspired and challenged California winemakers throughout the state to produce exclusively grown, high-quality “pink wine” releases of high standard. I recently tasted a rosé from the Santa Ynez Valley in Santa Barbara County that answered the call. A New Zealand native, winemaker Fin du Fresne has brought his knowledge and experience working in Provence and Bandol to create the 2020 Malene Rose’($22). A classic Rhone-style blend of grenache (80 percent), mourvedre (10
PHOTOS COURTESY OF LYLE W. NORTON, MALENE WINEMAKER FIN DU FRESNE
