Jeff’s Corner

Hey, Hey, Hey,
Today is Rosé Day

Yes, today we’ll check out the awesome new 2019 Rosé of Malbec, but first I thought it might be fun to turn back the clock and take a brief look at the history of rosé wine.

Rosés are considered to be the very first style of wine produced, due to both viticultural and vinicultural techniques in the diaper years of wine.  Originally, white and red grapes were interplanted with one another, and wines were a “field blend” of both, so all juice contained red skins, which added pigment.  This skin contact, however, was kept to a minimum to avoid “inferior” dark red wine.

Millennia later, the ancient Greeks and Romans understood that red wine was heartier in flavor, but disliked the astringent tannins and preferred a lighter style, and even watered down their wine.  

By the middle ages, Bordeaux was producing pale “Clarets” that were the most coveted wines in the world.  England, by far the largest market for these wines, preferred what were called “vin d’une nuit,” or “wine of one night,” in reference to its brief skin contact during fermentation.

Dry rosés were the wine of choice in Europe for centuries in the spring and summer, but the face of rosé changed greatly after WWII when two Portuguese wines, Lancers and Mateus, were introduced and powered the world market for rosés for a few decades.  They were sweet, with a little sparkle, and definitely fueled my love affair with wine when I was a youngster.

In 1975, Sutter Home introduced White Zinfandel, and several generations of new wine drinkers were weaned on this very sweet style of rosé. It wasn’t until around 2015 that America “discovered” what are now very trendy, and stylish, dry rosés.

Jason and GCV didn’t miss a beat.  In 2016, we released the 2015 Rosé of Sangiovese, and it jumped to the top of the charts.  Needing  our Sangiovese for Bellissimo, we introduced our first Rose of Malbec (the 2016) at the 2017 Tank Tasting Party.   

With a classic partridge eye and a hint of pale rose gold, the color alone of our 2019 Rose of Malbec is worth the price of admission.  As charming as it is visually, however, it’s just a prelude to what may be, to me anyway, our most delightful vintage yet.

Flirtatious aromas of cherry, candied raspberry and strawberry jam mingle with floral notes of wildflowers and pink carnations.  This super quaffable wine is a delicate fruit bomb with a well-balanced palate and a clean, fresh finish.  The ABV of our ’19 Texas High Plains Rosé of Malbec is perfectly centered at 13%.

Let’s serve this well-chilled (about 45*), with some ice-cold stone crab claws, clarified Irish butter, and fresh fruit.  (Widely available, Kerrygold is a high quality Irish butter made from grass-fed cows.  It’s really good.)

Later!