Wednesday, May 12, 2021

Three Regions, Three Great Rosé Expressions For Springtime

Springtime Trio of Rosé

Here are three affordable, totally tasty rosé wines we know you’ll love.

Get Ready To Celebrate

The flowers are blooming, birds are singing, and the temperature is rising. Everyone knows what time of year it is: it’s rosé season!

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To prepare for National Rosé Day on June 8, we delved into this most delightful style of blush wine, popping open three bottles from three different regions. We’re happy to recommend this trio of deliciousness:

Hampton Water Rosé 2020, South of France

This rosé is the creation of Jesse Bongiovi, son of rock legend John Bon Jovi. Far from being a celebrity gimmick, this wine has garnered a slew of awards, including being included in the Wine Spectator Top 100 Wines list.

The wine is made with the assistance of famed French winemaker Gerard Bertrand, whose wines we adore. It is a blend of Grenache (60%)  blended with Cinsault (15%), Mourvedre (15%), and Syrah (10%) traditional grapes of the French Mediterranean. We really enjoy wines from the Languedoc region and this is no exception.

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Hampton Water 2020It has clean notes of red fruit and citrus and has body that is a notch fuller than a Provence-style rosé. We see this as a perfect pairing with seafood. Although we’ve never been to the Hamptons, we can catch a sip of that carefree lifestyle while sipping this wine. A sub-$25 SRP winner.

Ca Di Prata Brut 2019, Prosecco Rosé DOC

We had no idea that until November 2020, there was no such thing as Prosecco Rosé. Even though the Friuli region has a long history of making sparkling rosé it couldn’t carry Prosecco on the label. A long-debated proposal was finally approved by the regulating council, and we couldn’t be happier.

This bubbler has 85% Glera (the traditional grape for Prosecco) and 15% Pinot Nero (aka Pinot Noir). With a $17 SRP, we found this wine to be an exemplary food wine. It has notes of strawberry and violet with fresh red fruits. There are nice streaming bubbles, but they dissipate rapidly.

The Ca’ di Prata name and label pay tribute to the municipality of Prata di Pordenone within the region of Friuli, where these wines are made.  A location famous for its historic bell tower, beautiful vineyards, and surrounding farmlands, the Ca’ di Prata label features a rendition of the tower on its label.

Reserve des Chastelles 2019 Rosé, Tavel

Occasionally when we’re shopping at Trader Joe’s, we’ll stock up on everyday wine. It has a nice selection of European wines and there are some evenings you really don’t need to crack open a $75 bottle of vino.

Chastelles 2019 Tavel SMWe had just about wrapped up a recent shopping trip when this bottle caught my eye. Tavel rosé is trending, at least with me. Tavel is the only region in France’s Rhone Valley that is dedicated solely to the production of rosé and I think it shows in the taste and quality.

First of all, Tavel rosé isn’t for the weak-kneed. It’s got a bit more heft to it, and the color gives you a clue to that. Instead of a pale salmon color like a Provence rosé, it is a bold red, like a translucent rose petal. It is composed of 60% Grenache, 25% Cinsault, and 15% Syrah but the expression has much more structure than most rosé wines. It’s a rosé that red wine drinkers can appreciate.

There are layers of strawberry, watermelon, and a dash of minerality. It is juicy with a touch of tartness. All this is to say, there are layers of flavors rather than being a one-note wine.

The most startling thing about this wine is the price. It is a mere $8.99! At this price, you can buy a couple of cases to tide you through the rest of the pandemic. It’s only available at Trader Joe’s.

For under $25 you have three great picks to celebrate spring and National Rosé Day.

Full disclosure: Some of this wine was received as a marketing sample.

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