By Ray Spaziani
Wine Talk
Ray Spaziani
February is just around the corner, and being a romantic at heart, one of my favorite holidays is Valentine’s Day.
Almost everything Valentine’s Day is pink, so it would be a great time to ride the trend of that rose wines are currently enjoying.
Some of the finest rose in the world comes from an area of France called Provence. Just south of the Alps in southeastern France, it was the first Roman province outside of Italy. The Romans called the area our province, Provincia Nostra in Latin. That is how the region got its name. Wine has been grown in this area for 2,600 years.
The sea forms the southern border of Provence. Mild winters and very warm summers are common. It generally sees little rainfall. The region receives over 3,000 hours of sunshine per year, which is more than double what is normally required to ripen grapes. Potential for overripening is high, so vineyards must use great caution to avoid it. There is a strong north wind that can help cool the grapes from the heat and dry them after a rainstorm. This can prevent rot and other diseases.
The eastern region of Provence contains an area that consists of over 85 communes of grape growers called the Cotes de Provence AOC. Rose accounts for 80 percent of all the wine produced in this location and is considered some of the finest in the world. The grapes used to make rose from this region include Carignan, Cinsaut, Grenache, Mourvedre and Syrah with a maximum of 40 percent Caignan used in an AOC rose to preserve quality. Mourvedre is the most popular grape, however. Non-traditional methods have been experimented with by a new generation of winemakers. They have used oak barrels for aging and fermenting the wine. Most winemakers use temperature-controlled tanks for a cooler fermentation.
The finest roses are dry pink wines with a nice acid balance. They stand up well to garlic dishes and those with aioli components. These dry wines are a far cry from the sicky sweet and poorly made pink wines many Americans associate with rose. These high-quality wines are nothing like White Zinfandel, which despite its poor quality, is very popular in the US. So this Valentine’s Day, get grandma off the White Zin and have her try some delicious rose from Provence.