This week we continue our journey into the pink, inspired by a
recent controversy over the European Union’s proposal to allow wine
producers to blend red and white wines together and call the result
rosé. France objects, and so does at least one reader,
who gave the blending concept a big “Yuk!” She suggested a blind
tasting of mass-market blends versus rosés made through the
traditional practice of maceration, which involves contact between the
skins of red grapes and their juice. Problem is, then we’d have to
taste those often sickly-sweet wines, so this week were sticking with
old-fashioned rosés.
Frey Vineyards Natural Rosé from Mendocino ($9.50) is
a nonvintage, organic wine with several things going for it, but its
unfortunate pinkish brown color isn’t one of them. Don’t let that scare
you off, because then you’ll miss a delightful aroma of citrus and
tropical fruit, especially guava; a light, dry taste; and a strong
finish. This is pretty bold for a rosé, and would be refreshing
on a hot summer’s day. Although I’m a fan of wines made from
organically grown grapes, I’ve been resistant to those that earn
organic certification thanks to the lack of chemicals added during the
winemaking process. Such wines have always tasted a little wimpy to me,
and most winemakers I know think the limitations imposed by organic
certification requirements are too stringent. But with this wine, in
all but color, Frey is somehow making it work.
I expected similar gumption from the rosé bearing France’s
Fat Bastard label, but that’s not what I found. The 2008 Fat Bastard
Rosé ($10.99), made from an even split of Shiraz and
Grenache grapes grown in the Languedoc region, was at least a true
pink, but its bold color struck a discordant tone with its muted
bouquet. This underwhelming aroma suggested berry and a little peach,
and the dry, acidic mouthfeel was a bit thin. “Pleasant enough” is how
I’d sum it up.
One other thing that this week’s wines have in common is that they
can’t run far enough away from the dreaded association with White
Zinfandel, that 1970s California creation that tainted rosé’s
reputation in this country. But there’s certainly no mistaking any of
these wines for a Sutter Creek blush. In the case of the 2007 Dry
Rose of Zinfandel ($9.99) from Sonoma’s Pedroncelli Winery, the
producer even had enough confidence in its craftsmanship to put the
Z word proudly on its label. Pedroncelli has a long history in
the Dry Creek Valley and is well respected for its lush and
budget-friendly red zins. But this salmon-colored wine was quieter than
one might expect from a maker of wines known for their richness. It
also was sweeter than expected, especially in the finish. The winery’s
other value wines are worth a try, however — we’ve heard good
things about the Mother Clone Zinfandel ($11.95).
