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| NANCY's Newsletter |
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August 2003
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Rosé Edition
Rosé wines are definitely HOT right now, thanks to a
fine 2002 vintage across Europe and the generous ink
the wines have been getting in places like The New
York Times, Food & Wine Magazine and The Wall Street
Journal (who cited us as one of the best sources for
rosé in New York City!) This month's email newsletter
from Nancy's highlights the joys of rosé and sets the
record straight on several apprehensions you may have
about serving pink wines at your next soireé.
Yes, they can be dry. Yes, they can be high quality.
And yes, they're economically priced at $10 to $15.
What's not to like? Read on, and call or email us with all
your questions. Better yet, click over to Nancy's rosé
inventory, complete with prices, tasting notes and
exhaustive food pairing suggestions. We'll hand-deliver
your selections anywhere in Manhattan. But place your
order quickly-once the summer is gone, so are these
delicious wines!
Cheers,
-Evan P. Spingarn
No, all rosés are not sweet. In fact, most
of them tend toward near or total dryness. There are
some that have a fruity character to them, and they're
wonderful too (if they're made well).
White Zinfandel is wine made from regular red
Zinfandel grapes, but the skins are removed early in the
fermentation so the juice acquires only a faint blush
color (all the color and tannin in red wines resides in
the skins). Some wineries tend to add sugar to the mix
too, which is why white zin is often extra "sweet."
Again, the color is in the skins. Make your
rosé from dark-skinned grape varieties, you'll get a rich,
crimson rosé. Make it from lighter-skinned grapes or
reduce the soak time, and you'll get a pale salmon
color. Both styles can be great-it's purely a matter of
taste.
Rosés are great warm
weather wines, delivering juicy, fruity flavors in a richer
style than typical white wine.
Their berryish flavors go great with grilled fare and
saucy, sassy cuisines like Mexican, Peruvian,
Spanish/Mediterranean, and Southeast Asian. Lighter
styles work well with lunches and brunches; fuller-
bodied ones can handle all-out carnivorous feeds. The
classic French seafood soup bouillabaisse demands a
Provencal rosé. The Italians quaff them all summer long
with sausages and salumi.
And Nancy herself prefers a chilled glass every evening
at sunset.
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| Our Rosé Recommendations |
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We've assembled an amazing selection of pink wines at
the store this year-it seems 2002 was a great year for
rosé throughout western Europe. With 15 or 20 to
choose from and prices all under $20, this is a fun
chance for everyone to discover these wines.
For fans of light and dry rosés, you've got both bargain
and deluxe bottlings from which to choose. The
Francois Chidaine Rosé from the Loire is
a dry, fresh
little pleasure for $7.99-perfect for moules mariniere.
For $2 more, try the Pourcieux Rosé from the
Cotes de
Provence, a pale rosé that behaves essentially like a
crisp, dry white. Chateau de la Guimoniere
Rosé d'Anjou ($11.99) is redolent of cherries and a
terrific spicy food partner. Then there's Mas de la
Rouviere Bandol Rosé ($16.99) , a firm, bone-dry
style that answers the bouillabaisse question, and also
does justice to patés and terrines.
France does not hold the monopoly on good pink wine,
however. From Spain comes the fantastically delicious
Muga Rioja Rosado ($10.99), about the
juiciest, plumpest, most appealing Spanish wine I've
tasted in any color. Also from Spain, the Bodegas
Castano Rosado ($10.99) from
Yecla is 100% black, strapping Mourvedre, so the color
is a deep, glowing crimson and the flavor rich and
round. This was born for roast pig over an open fire of
vine cuttings-but if you can't swing that, try it with a
rotisserie chicken or some cold, sliced steak.
In the mood for Italian? We get the Il Mimo
Rosato
($14.99) from the Cantalupo co-operative every
vintage-it's 100% Nebbiolo (the grape of Barolo), wildly
aromatic and plush. Grilled salmon with sun-dried
tomatoes or anything fra diavolo would excel. Finally, if
you want to get really kinky, the Kir-Yianni 'Akakies'
Rosé ($13.99) from Greece is a
ripe cherry explosion that should be experienced with a
whole fish off the grill before summer ends.
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