INDUSTRY INSIGHT: 
By Diane Sukiennik and Michael Reiss
Still Rosé Wines
Here are five contrasting still rosé wines of very high quality and reasonable price, each from different regions in France, Spain, the United States and Austria:
1) Bandol Rosé Domaine de la Bastide Blanche 2007 - $19.95, Provence, France. This rosé from Provence, France is made of 31 percent mouvedre, 25 percent grenache and 41 percent cinsault. The nose is floral with a hint of melon, excellent minerality and a long finish.
2) Domaine Saladin Côtes du Rhône Trala Rosé 2007 $16.99,Rhone Valley, France. From 30-year-old vines. 240 cases produced.
3) Kalmuck Pink Zweigelt Rosé 2007 $14.99, Austria. Kalmuck pink from Austria is made from the Zweigelt grape varietal. It is a fresh, light wine for summer drinking, lush, bright deep pink in color. It possesses a developed minerality on the nose, suggesting pinot-like autumnal forest aromas, with stunning juice. It has outstanding minerality and length.
4) Avinyó Vi d'Agulla Rosado Penedès 2007 - $12.99, Penedès Region, Spain.Vi d'Agulla (Vee-da-goo-ya) is a slightly frizzante wine from the Penedès region of Spain located just outside of Barcelona. It has all free-run juice, from merlot. On the palate this wine is fresh with a vinho verde-like prickle on the tip of the tongue. It is very refreshing; the ideal hot weather wine. It is non-certified organic.
5) Soter Pinot Noir Oregon Rosé 2007 - $ 16.99, Oregon, United States. Tony Soter lightly presses whole clusters of pinot noir, as well as the white varieties of pinot gris and chardonnay, in fashioning this very serious rosé. The wine is full of fresh floral and bright red fruit aromas. It's weighty and succulent, perfect for everything from a salad of goat cheese and beets to grilled game hens.
No, the buzz isn’t from the bees (they are fighting extinction these days). It’s from the uncorking, untwisting and unpopping of the wine world’s current darling.
Rosé wine has finally shrugged off its cloak of disrespect and is now being recognized, embraced and heralded by some of the most hardcore cab lovers as a respectably versatile addition to their wine collection.
Sparking Rosé Wines
Here are three top picks for sparkling rosé wines of excellent quality at reasonable price points:
1) Codorníu Cava Pinot Noir Brut N.V. $14.99, Spain.
This sparkling wine from Spain is salmon pink in color, refreshingly crisp and elegant with plenty of fresh raspberries and black currants. It has a pinot noir varietal character with a dry finish.
2) Parigot Crémant de Bourgogne Rosé NV
$ 21.99, Burgundy, France. Made exclusively from pinot noir, Parigot Rosé’s delicate color and unique aromas are obtained through a short maceration of the pinot noir. The freshness of this crémant's salmon robe along with its fine, even foam attracts the eye. Its fruity nose and fine effervescence completes its charm. However, the real pleasure is on the palate: vivacity, character and youthfulness coming from the union of roundness and elegance.
3) Gruet Rosé NV $ 13.99, New Mexico, United States. This is sparkling wine from New Mexico made by the Gruet family of Champagne. The color is salmon pink and the taste is soft and creamy. The dominating aromas are cherries and apple peel. This is a very limited edition - only 280 cases produced. The taste is brilliant, complex with wonderful rich pinot noir nose, and at the same time a buttery, elegant chardonnay texture.
The once soft, flabby, often sweet and characterless style of wine that was termed “blush” by the California producers in the 1970s has been replaced by the current crop of subtle, sophisticated, dry rosés. Contact with the dark-skinned grape adds the distinctive color and also imparts enough tannin and acid to balance the fruit. This formula develops structure and the ability to deliver delicate herbal, floral or mineral notes that add intrigue. Although considered fruity wines by many who have not tasted the most recent vintages, most respectable rosés are dry and show enough complexity to be considered more than a mere guzzling beverage.
Rosés are produced around the world and are made from just about every grape varietal. From light and delicate in hue to dark and more full-bodied, from bubbly to slightly effervescent to still, there is a rosé waiting to surprise and seduce you.
And, should you get caught in the rosé buzz, you might want to check out the group called Rosé Avengers and Producers (RAP), who are dedicated to spreading the gospel of pink to the public.
For details, go to www.rapwine.com.
Thanks to Paul Smith, owner of Woodland Hills Wine Company, for his assistance in this article. The wines listed in this article are currently available at Woodland Hills Wine Company (1-800-678-9463) and other fine wine stores.
