Finally the good weather has arrived in Vancouver, so it seems a good time to run this article, which I wrote after attending an event earlier this year.
International Vintners and Spirits Association takes the opportunity several times a year to showcase new products to those in the hospitality industry. I enjoy going to these events to see what is new in the marketplace and to discover.
When I walked in today, a colleague saw me and said, “You have to try this Rosé.” It was indeed a good one and I decided with the approaching great weather to make that my theme for the day.
Rosés are, despite growing popularity among those in the know, still misunderstood and under appreciated. For this I blame Bob Trincher at Sutter Home Winery in Napa Valley, who in the early 1970’s Introduced White Zinfandel or Zin Blush to the world. To be fair, it was wildly popular during the seventies and it was, for many people, an introduction to wine as was Baby Duck and Mateus. Fortunately, most of us have moved on and appreciate better quality wines. However, while Baby Duck drinkers realized that not all sparkling wines were sweet fizzy pop, too many people still believe pink wines are all like Zin Blush – cloying, sweet pop wines.
Proper rosé wines trace their roots to Provence in southern France. Here, the wines are dry and crisp and are widely regarded as versatile food wines. Some, it is true, may have a slight bit of residual sugar and make great patio wines or social wines that are just fine on their own and do not require food to accompany them, but they are not Zin Blush.
Almost every wine region makes rosé wines and they can be made from many different varietals. There are even rosé sparkling wines. You owe it to yourself to buy a rosé and give it a try. If it is not to your liking, try a different one. I am sure, before long, you too will say, “Hurray for Rosé.”
Here is a photo gallery of some of the ones I tried at the most recent event.
At the end, I took advantage of the opportunity to try a few other interesting wines.
