Look for Spain to continue to soar. Today it is emerging as a leader in wine quality and creativity, combining the finest characteristics of tradition with a modern and progressive winemaking philosophy. Spain, just coming out of a long period of cooperative winemaking that valued quantity over quality, has begun to recognize that it possesses many old-vine vineyards with almost unlimited potential. – Robert Parker

So why is Spain killin’ it when it comes to producing affordable superstar wines that get this much attention from critics? There are several reasons, and it’s the convergence of these aspects that have made this occur.

1) A wine culture that encourages self-governance and experimentation.
In France, for any wine laws to change, it must start at the highest levels of government. For example, the decision to allow screw tops to be used on AOC designated wines was a twelve year debate. Nothing changes fast in France (which, ironically, has kept the integrity of their regions intact … never forget there are two sides to every coin). In Italy, similar lethargic mudpits of special interests stifle innovation, but not nearly as much as in France.

Spain, however, has a different twist to the organization of their wine regions: all of the DO’s of Spain are self-governing. This has led to very fast innovation and evolution of wine laws. Winemaking techniques, labeling, vineyard management, and more can all change quickly if the members of a particular D.O. want to make changes. This local control is the exact opposite of France’s national system.

Ten years ago you’d be hard pressed to find a Rueda in the marketplace and for good reason: most were wildly oxidized (the Verdejo grape is notorious for this) and poorly made. Changes in the Rueda regional laws in the early 2000′s suddenly allowed the addition of Sauvignon Blanc (up to 50%!), resulting in a fresher, cleaner, brighter style of wine than before (the use of clean winemaking techniques and temperature control is also to thank for the rise of quality). Now, many fine wine shops carry two, three, or even five Ruedas at any given time.

2) A warmer and drier climate allowing for textured and richer red wines, that fit both critic and consumer tastes, to be consistently produced.
We’re not opening up the alcohol content debate here (we’ll do another post in the future on that topic and introduce you to the In Pursuit of Balance group). What we’re talking about here mainly is the elusive idea of textural impression. Spanish wine, because of the terroir of their growing conditions (and the grapes that can handle heat, such as Monastrell), tend to have a velvety mouthfeel that is the envy of the wine world. Wether it’s a great Rioja, a jammy wine from Montsant, or a bargain gem from Castilla, you can find it throughout many Spanish red wines. The tightrope walk of acidity to extract to richness hits those magical notes. Simply put, wines from Spain have a higher batting average in this arena than most. (Mouthfeel is key in the world of food and wine pairings, which leads many chef-driven restaurants to embrace these wines.)

3) European Union investment when it was needed the most (and the country was ready for it).
This might come as a surprise to younger readers, but until the mid to late 1990′s you’d be hard pressed to find a variety of Spanish wines in Minnesota (and the rest of the country for that matter). There simply wasn’t much good stuff available. The few wines that came through tended to be from the largest producers, represented by mammoth importers.

Why was this? For decades, while Spain was under dictatorial rule (from the end of the Spanish Civil War until the 1970′s) there was little to no development in their wine industry. As the rest of the world learned about refrigeration, different yeasts, the effect of bacteria on wine, etc. Spain was stuck making wine much like it did in the late 1800′s.

When the European Union was formed and Spain was accepted into the group, a wave of technology, innovation, and most of all education flooded the wine regions and was the catalyst for change. It took a while for the results to show, but starting in the early 2000′s we were suddenly hit with a tsunami of simply incredibly delicious and affordable wines. That trend continues today with an eye to what the world wine drinkers are asking for, satisfying demand.

Next up we’ll introduce you to some of our new Spanish offerings as well as letting you know where you can find those products in Minnesota. Exciting times!

As somebody who has won some serious awards for his work, David is obviously at the forefront of these topics.

If you do not yet follow David’s website, be sure to head over to terroirist.com and sign up for a daily email on the world of wine.

Enjoying some Carillon Puligny-Montrachet with David White at Meritage

Give us your elevator pitch … who are you and what is terroirist.com? 

I’m the founder and editor of Terroirist.com, one of the nation’s most popular wine blogs.

I launched the site back in November 2010. I was already obsessed with wine by that point, spending virtually all my free time reading about wine, whether through books, magazines, message boards, or blogs. And I noticed some holes in the wine blogosphere, especially when it came to generalists.

For instance, each day I’d scour the internet for interesting essays and articles — I had google alerts set up, was on a few listservs, visited dozens of blogs, etc. It always baffled me there wasn’t a single blog offering a daily roundup of wine news, edited by a human. Since my launch in November 2010, I’ve never missed a day. There also wasn’t a blog offering regular winemaker interviews — wine geeks love getting to know the people behind the wines. And I didn’t see many group wine blogs. By assembling a team of contributors, my site has been able to cover politics and trend stories, offer tasting notes, and break news.

In many ways, I think my site has become a dependable product.

Has the vision of the site remained consistent over the years?

It has.

When I launched Terroirist, I wanted to offer something different from the countless blogs that were out there — and this mainly meant regular, frequent content.

My goal was to develop a site with about a dozen bloggers that would cover absolutely everything — wine politics, news, profiles, events, trend stories, commentary, tasting notes, gossip, you name it. I’m thrilled with the success I’ve had so far, but I’m obviously not there yet. There’s no reason why a wine blog can’t have 3-5 interesting posts each day, and that’s still my vision for the site. The main challenge for me — and most wine blogs — is one of finances. It’s a passion play; the site doesn’t currently generate enough revenue to pay writers. So it’s hard to convince people to blog regularly — and stick to deadlines — when it’s a voluntary effort.

What was your wine experience just before launching your site?

I was a passionate wine nerd eager to learn about wine. Which is still an apt description of myself.

I was first exposed to wine in a serious way in October 2007, when I visited Napa Valley with a few close friends. Fortunately, one of those friends knew enough about wine to put together an incredible itinerary for us, and one of our stops (Failla), something really clicked. When I returned, I decided that wine would become my new hobby. So I started planning more trips to taste wine — California, Oregon, Argentina. I started reading books, attending “offline” events with people from WineBerserkers, and taking WSET classes.

You’ve seen many wine bloggers rise in the ranks of influence in the last few years. Who are the key wine bloggers you suggest people follow?

When I started blogging, the leaders were Tom Wark (Fermentation), Alder Yarrow (Vinography), Tyler Colman (Dr. Vino), and Joe Roberts (1WineDude). All remain at the top of their games.

In the last year, my favorite blog has become Elaine Brown’s Wakawaka Wine Reviews. Elaine generates a herculean amount of content, and everything she writes is a pleasure to read. Plus, her passion for wine comes through in her work — something that everyone strives for, but is quite difficult to pull off.

Are there blogging or marketing conferences you regularly attend or suggest?

The Wine Bloggers’ Conference is a great place to meet fellow bloggers and drink great wine — and the organizers have been working hard to provide more value to attendees. So I certainly recommend it. I couldn’t make this year’s conference, unfortunately, but I’m really looking forward to hearing about it.

Another great event is the annual Symposium for Professional Wine Writers at Meadowood Napa Valley. It’s extremely expensive, but the organizers offer more than a dozen fellowships. So if you’re an aspiring wine writer, it’s definitely worth applying for one of those fellowships.

I’ve heard great things about the European Digital Wine Communications Conference and will finally make my way there this year.

If there are wine or food bloggers out there trying to make a go of it, what is your best advice?

First, to quote Gary Vaynerchuk, “Content is the cost of entry to relevance in today’s society.” These days, I think it’d be virtually impossible to fashion yourself a “blogger” if you’re only updating your website every month or so. You need to constantly engage — write on your blog and elsewhere; look for opportunities (like this!) to promote your brand; banter with people on Twitter; have a strong, active Facebook presence.

Second, do something unique. That might mean specialization, like positioning yourself as an expert on Beaujolais or Michigan wines. But there’s still plenty of room for generalists, so long as you’re doing something that no one else is doing.

Looking into your crystal ball, what will wine journalism be like in five or ten years? Do you see a merging of professional reviewers and bloggers?

I wouldn’t say I can envision a merging of professional reviewers and bloggers — I’d say that’s already happening.

A few years ago, Tom Wark wrote the following: “The wine blog is now fully integrated into the world of wine writing…. If anything of significance distinguishes wine bloggers from traditional wine publishing, it is two things… That wine bloggers publish in a now recognizable and predictable diarist format, and that they are largely unpaid. Beyond these two factors, little separates the blogged wine writing from the traditional or commercial wine writing.”

Wine consumers can still subscribe to the Wine Advocate, of course, but they can also check out CellarTracker. Wine consumers can still subscribe to Decanter, but they can also turn to a local resource.

And those “professional” reviewers now feel obligated to blog. Steve Heimoff, Wine Enthusiast’s West Coast editor, loves complaining about bloggers and social media… on his blog and on social media. Antonio Galloni left the Wine Advocate to start a website. The list goes on.

The barrier to entry is virtually gone, and the top writers and critics will rise to the top, just as they always have.

Wineries (and especially wineries with PR and marketing budgets) seem to be tripping all over themselves for blogger attention. Do you think this is the right tactic for wineries to follow?

Absolutely — so long as they do their research. I automatically and instinctively delete 95 percent of the press releases that end up in my inbox. If you’re interested in reaching out to a specific blogger, read his site before reaching out — find out what his focus is, which wines he’s interested in, etc. Whether it’s a wine sample or an article idea, don’t just spray and pray.

David brought a delicious bottle of Arnot-Roberts rose to enjoy at Meritage.

Many thanks to David White for taking the time to enjoy some fine wines and conversation with The Wine Company! Look for more profiles of wine communicators coming soon — these are the people driving the bus of wine discussion around the world.

Before we get to Wil Bailey’s rose’ pick part three, let’s talk a bit about wine and food pairings, specifically regarding dry rose’ wines.

Most wine and food pairing is based on a primary feature of the food (for instance, the delicious oil of a Copper River Sockeye Salmon) with a feature in the wine (the acidity of Sauvignon Blanc to cut through that oil and richness). However, there are many dishes that defy the easy and predictable wine pairing. When vegetables, fat, and spice are all introduced in combo, what do you do? How about bold flavors like curry combined with zest of citrus? This is where rose’ really shines.

A quick search on the web found a handful of recipes by local food bloggers that we think are ideal to show off the versatility of the dry pink wines of summer. Check these out and be sure to follow these blogs … all are super worthwhile.

@freshtartsteph wrote up a great post about Quinoa cakes topped with a poached egg. The combination of the texture of the cakes, the greens involved, and the always delicious poached egg could be a challenge for many wines (the variety is tough to pair with), but a rose’ will work ideally. Wil’s rose’ pick part one would be particularly delicious with this dish.

The prolific @amanda_paa over at Healthy Life, Happy Cook does a bevy of great recipes that often follow a gluten-free lifestyle. Keep in mind that gluten-free doesn’t mean un-delicious by any means, proven by the Bacon Wrapped Jicama with Cajun Spices. This might be the ultimate snacky back yard fare to start off a party, and the smoky bacon combined with the avocado sauce might be a tough balance for, say, a Sauvignon Blanc. Enter the magic of rose’, especially Wil’s pick part two, which can handle all sorts of variety thrown its way.

But to really prove the point of rose’ being the ultimate in food pairing power, try this one out: Slow Braised Citrus Pork Curry from Keane via MNFoodDudes. The recipe is incredibly simple, but takes a few hours to cook in the oven. The combination of flavors is incredible, and most wines would have a hard time finding the perfect ‘hook’ to work with or against the flavors (you’ve got everything from pork to fish sauce to citrus to cilantro working here). So for a great pairing with this dish? See Wil’s rose’ pick part three, below.

***

Chateau Tour de Mirambeau, Bordeaux Rose, 2012

This is probably the biggest “surprise” for me of our 2012 Rose’s for four reasons.

 

One – I generally don’t like Bordeaux Rose very much. I usually find them short on both fruit and intensity and often a little bitter. They often strike me as very much afterthought wines from producers who aren’t paying much attention to them.

 

Two – I generally don’t like Cabernet Sauvignon based Rose’s very much (this wine is 85% Cabernet Sauvignon and 15% Merlot). I find a lot of Cabernet based Rose’s to be “trying too hard”. I feel like they are often over extracted and missing the freshness and joy I’m looking for in most Rose’s or (if they are harvested earlier) they are kind if green and unpleasant – apologies to any great Cabernet Rose producers I’ve just offended.

 

Three – The red wine production at Tour de Mirambeau is about 80% Merlot, so it never occurred to me that their Rose would be so driven by Cabernet.

 

Four – This wine tastes great! This is our first vintage working with this wine. It is bright, intense and juicy. It has a pronounced spicy quality which is clearly the yummy side of Cabernet Rose I’ve been missing before. And to top it all off, it’s priced such that you can share it with lots of your friends and show them how tasty Bordeaux Rose can really be.

- Wil Bailey

The following list of accounts have purchased the Chateau Tour de Mirambeau Rose’ 2012. Please call ahead to confirm availability. Accounts are listed alphabetically by city. 

The demand for this wine has been incredible worldwide … the first 6000 bottles sold out within hours! Starpower has much to do with it, obviously, but the wine itself is delicious as well. (Plus for those of you into Pink Floyd, there is a great connection to this property.)

For those into press, Wine Spectator bestowed a 90 point rating on the wine.

“Brad Pitt and Angelina Jolie have released their first wine, a 2012 rose from their Provence estate, Chateau Miraval. In a blind tasting of a flight of Provençal roses at Wine Spectator‘s New York office, the wine was refined and elegant, with pure flavors of dried red berry and tangerine, and a focused finish with flint and spice notes. It scored 90 points, or outstanding, on Wine Spectator‘s 100-point scale.” – Wine Spectator

If you’re looking for this wine, below is a list of retailers and restaurants that have purchased Chateau Miraval rose’. Be sure to call ahead to confirm availability! This is a high demand item. Accounts are listed alphabetically by city.

Should it reflect the grape that it is made from? (Yes, of course.)

Should it reflect the place that it’s from? (For sure.)

Should the wine blissfully dismiss any notion of seriousness so you can get the task at hand and just enjoy it? For rose’, yes.

Some people are intrigued: if we are to call ourselves serious wine people, how can we be so passionate about something as cheery, gulpable, and simply likeable as a great glass of rose’?

It’s easy.

Here’s a context to put this in: We drink oodles of dry pink wine here at The Wine Company. It has come to mean something to us, and that something is not about the details or the marketability of a wine. It’s not about adjectives. It’s not about pontificating. And it’s most definitely not about scores (rarely is in these parts).

It’s about the seasons. It’s about the lilacs starting to bloom (finally this year). It’s about sitting outside on the patio and being amongst friends, laughing the evening away. It’s about marking the start to a great summertime, hanging at the cabin or idling away the day fishing.

It’s about savoring life during this little sliver of time in Minnesota that we call summer. For the same reason we have more golfers per capita than anywhere else in the country, we have an equally embracing rose’ culture.

We have other wines in our warehouse to pontificate about. But rose’ is the opposite.

Rose’ is about living well, surrounded by laughter, friends, and sunshine. That’s what makes for a great rose’.

***

This year we’ve cornered Wil Bailey to bring his top picks of the rose’ season. With literally hundreds to choose from in all sorts of different styles, he fretted and hemmed and hawed (how do you choose a favorite child?) but finally handed over his list.

We present to you part two of Wil’s favorite rose’s of 2013.
(Did you miss part one?)

Caves de Saumur “Cabernet de Saumur Rose” 2012

Truth be told, this is my personal favorite Rose this year. I always like this wine (I like Cabernet Franc a lot in most of its guises), but this year’s release is particularly excellent. Sumptuous and satisfying are the first two words which come to mind, but please don’t construe that to mean this is a heavy Rose. It has all the freshness a good Rose should, but it combines that freshness with a completely enjoyable juicy roundness that just makes it a complete pleasure to drink. As it has a little more mid palate than many Rose’s I also think it’s a particularly great “grillin” choice for this summer.  Out of fairness I should also point out that the price/value ratio is absolutely out of this world! – Wil Bailey

Where can you find or enjoy this wine? Below is a list of retailers and restaurants that have purchased the Cabernet de Saumur Rose’. Call ahead to confirm availability. Accounts are arranged alphabetically by city.

The Beanery Internet Cafe
Aitkin
(218) 927-7811

Tpc Of The Twin Cities
Blaine
(763) 795-0800

Tournament Liquor - Blaine
Blaine
(763) 786-4992

Byerly's - Chanhassen
Chanhassen
(952) 474-1298

Byerly's - Eagan
Eagan
(651) 686-9669

Mgm - Forest Lake
Forest Lake
(651) 464-5790

Sandy Point Lodge
Kabetogama
(218) 875-2615

North Loop Wine & Spirits
Minneapolis
(612) 338-5393

Sorella Wine & Spirits
Minneapolis
(612) 339-4040

Zipp's
Minneapolis
(612) 333-8686

Cork Dork Wine Co
Minneapolis
(612) 867-5960

South Lyndale Liquor
Minneapolis
(612) 827-5811

Cafe Barbette
Minneapolis
(612) 827-5710

The Craftsman
Minneapolis
(612) 722-0175

Mcdonald Liquor Store
Minneapolis
(612) 721-6686

Stinson Wine, Beer & Spirits
Minneapolis
(612) 789-0678

Sentyrz Liquor
Minneapolis
(612) 781-3484

Hennepin-lake Liquors
Minneapolis
(612) 825-4411

Lake Wine & Cheese
Minneapolis
(612) 242-0073

Sen Yai Sen Lek
Mpls
(612) 781-3046

Winestreet Spirit-north Oak
North Oaks
(651) 483-1767

Liquor Boy
St Louis Park
(952) 512-2200

First Grand Liquors
St Paul
(651) 227-7039

128 Cafe
St Paul
(651) 645-4128

Cafe Minnesota
St Paul
(651) 259-3030

Solo Vino
St Paul
(651) 602-9515

Big Top - Midway
St Paul
(651) 644-4501

Thomas Liquor
St Paul
(651) 699-1860

The Wine Thief
St Paul
(651) 698-9463

Woodhill Country Club
Wayzata
(952) 473-7333

Ciresi Liquors
White Bear Lake
(651) 429-7551

White Bear Yacht Club
White Bear Lake
(651) 429-4567

Portfolio manager Wil Bailey estimates he’s tasted about 200 rose’ so far this year. Less than half of those made the cut and came to Minnesota. A significant percentage of those sold out so fast that we barely had a chance to enjoy them around the office (egads!).

So for the 2013 rose’ season we thought it would be fun to corner Wil and force him to choose three as his favorites. It wasn’t easy for him, but he did it.

We present to you Wil’s rose picks of the season (part one).

Martin Ray, Pinot Noir Rose, 2012

It’s rare that a California Rose makes my top three list but not a surprise in any way that a Rose of Pinot Noir is one of my faves. It’s no secret around the office that I love, love, love Pinot Noir. What I think people sometimes overlook is that Pinot Noir often makes a really lovely Rose. The Martin Ray 2012 combines an appealing ripeness of fruit (think strawberries and black cherries) with a freshness that makes it super easy and enjoyable. Some Pinot Noir Rose’s from warmer climates can get a little heavy and cloying. The Martin Ray is all Russian River fruit and nicely plays up the elegance and lively qualities of this cooler district of California winegrowing. – Wil Bailey

Martin Ray Rose’ of Pinot Noir can be found (until it’s sold out, of course!) at the following Minnesota retailers and restaurants.

Locations are listed alphabetically by city. Please call ahead to confirm availability.

Understanding how we pick our rose‘ has been covered in an earlier post, but we decided this year to detail, for you, all the rose’ we poured at our tasting.

(However, this list doesn’t represent all of our rose by any means. We have sold out of quite a few already and thus they were not poured at yesterday’s event.)

In the next week, look for more posts featuring our portfolio manager Wil Bailey highlighting his favorite rose’ picks of 2013.

If you are interested in any of the rose’ listed below, email us at info@thewinecompany.net, tell us your location, and we will direct you to a store carrying the wine.

Many thanks to our own Nicholas Livingston for compiling this list!

***

Muga Rose’ 2012 (Rioja, Spain)
From the calcareous (limestone) soils of Rioja, Muga’s Rosado is unique in being a blend of red and white varieties; it’s 60% Garnacha, 30% Viura and 10% Tempranillo. After only 12 hours of skin contact this is then fermented less than a month in small oak barrels and then allowed to come together for a couple months before bottling. 2012 was a vintage for Grenache for its ability to handle dry spells and still bear fragrant fruit –with aromas of peach, pear and cherries, a pleasing sour apple acidity and a nice texture from its time spent of fine lees. Unique and poised for the table, this Rosado closes at the finish with an appetizing scent of cherry frangipane.

Protocolo Rose’ 2012 (Castilla, Spain)
50% Tempranillo, 50% Bobal grown in La Tierra de Castilla in La Mancha in central Spain, this rosado is the easy drinking rosé made by the talented Eguren family -famous for a number of estates including Sierra Cantabria, San Vicente, and Teso la Monja among others. Tempranillo imparts the ripe fruit we love but its the Bobal (incidentally among the grapes with the highest levels of resveratrol) that bears its fresh scents and juicy acids -yielding a rosé with notes of raspberry, strawberry and citrus fruit all coming together into a fresh glass of wine.

Marques de Caceres Rose’ 2012 (Rioja, Spain)
85% Tempranillo 15% Garnacha, this Riojan Rosado is especially structured fragrant and fruity in 2012 because the growing season was warm and sunny all the way from bud break through harvest. Fermented long and slow under controlled temperature, this never sees oak in order to preserve its scents of fresh berries and that echo on a refreshing palate but has ample body for richer food pairings and even has a bit of tannin to stand up to fleshier foods.

Martin Ray Pinot Noir Rose’ 2012 (Russian River Valley)
Russian River Valley Pinot Noir already benefits from the long ripening of the cool days from morning and evening fogs but this is from one of the best vintages of the decade -making a rose that is concentrated in its aromas and flavors: Mouthwatering aromas of ripe strawberry and mango are enhanced by notes of orange zest, rose petal and a hint of savory green herbs. This intensely aromatic, flavorful wine is crisp and juicy in the mouth, with lingering flavors of strawberry, tropical fruit and citrus. Long, delicious finish.

Pedroncelli Zinfandel Rose’ 2012 (Dry Creek Valley)
Best Buy Wine Enthusiast, this is perhaps the best rosé they’ve ever made –which is saying a lot because it is always delicious, the 2012 is gorgeous. Signature Selection Dry Zinfandel Rosé is full of fresh strawberry and raspberry fruit –ripened yet still bright, fresh but plush, fleshy and somehow snappy with an engaging aroma throughout the finish. A skeptical friend of mine Angela Kallsen said she would actually drink this Zin rosé –no small feat I assure you!

Cline Mourvedre Rose’ 2012 (Sonoma)
2012 heralds a great vintage for this wine. From Cline’s Oakley ranch in Contra Costa county. These century-old vines grow in the deep sand-soil along the delta of the San Joaquin and Sacramento Rivers whose cool winds preserve bright acidity. This rosé is made as a Blanc de Noir or “white of red grapes,” in the style of a white wine. The skins are removed by pressing before fermentation begins yielding a pleasant fruit on the nose where plum, pomegranate and cherry dominate, balanced by a delicate hint of sweet anise –an excellent chilled accompaniment for spicy foods, chicken Provencal, salmon or Teriyaki.

Goats do Roam Rose’ 2012 (Stellenbosch, South Africa)
From South Africa’s Western Cape, this fuller bodied rosé is made of 46% Syrah for body, 33% Grenache for fruit, 11% Mourvèdre for spice, and 10% Gamay for freshness. Balanced into a great blend that makes a deep color, fuller scents and flavors and a tangy cherry palate with a bit more of a mouthfeel than the quieter rosés –and great with grilled foods because of it.

Morrisfarms “Mandriolo” Rose’ 2012 (Tuscany)
A fresh and frisky rosé made from 100% Sangiovese, this is a welcomed new arrival from Morisfarms, the renowned pioneer of Morellino. This charms for being a pale rosé that is light and nimble but a compelling example of what sets the Morisfarms apart from their other Tuscan neighbors.

Borsao Rose’ 2012 (Campo de Borja, Spain)
We love their Tres Picos WE LOVE their rosado! Borsao is renowned for having the best Garnacha rose in all of Aragon. Coming from Spain’s Campo de Borja appellation of Aragón, this is clean and crisp, with bright red fruit like wild strawberries. On the palate it makes quite the impression as a easy drinking, dry rosé: snappy, fair, polished, and bright, this is an engaging to the last drop.

Villa Wolf Pinot Noir Rose’ 2012 (Pfalz, Germany)
Estate grown in the Pfalz, the Villa Wolf Rosé de Pinot Noir is a true rosé, made with a brief maceration before pressing to extract a lovely salmon color. It is light and refreshing, with bright berry and fruit flavors and a clean, zippy finish.

La Vielle Ferme Rose’ 2011 (Rhone Valley, France)
From chalky Mt Ventoux, slow ripening Cinsault, Grenache and Syrah combine to yield a richly structured rosé made in the saignée method of bleeding off early fermenting wine from a batch of red before extracting too much color -which is full and fragrant as a result.

Rose d’Acanthes 2012 (Rhone Valley, France)
50% Grenache, 30% Carignan, 20% Cinsault from the Gard region within Lauguedoc-Roussillion in southern France, this rosé is clean and crisp, fair and fragrant with an elegant floral character and a quenching structure bearing a bright and polished mouthful of pale, red fruit that makes for an engaging, refreshing and uplifting rosé of outstanding value.

Campuget, Costieres de Nimes Rose’ 2012 (Rhone Valley, France)
10 miles south of Nimes, in the southern Rhone Valley, Campuget tends vines averaging 25 years old planted to the alluvial “gress” of pebbly stones that mark the Costières de Nîmes and ensures even ripening. 70% Syrah and 30% Grenache makes for a bright glass of rose –this pale rose practically glows in its glass and expresses itself in charming crunchy red fruit.

Guigal Cotes du Rhone Rose’ 2011 (Rhone Valley, France)
60% Grenache, 30% Cinsault, 7% Syrah, and 3% Mourvèdre planted to the Cotes du Rhone. Drawn off the skins after a brief maceration and long temperature controlled fermentation, this rosé is clear, brilliant and fresh with an expressive nose of red fruits and citrus and a palate expressing raspberry and redcurrant making a well-balanced elegant wine overall that’s fruity, fine and round.

Domaine des Carteresses Tavel 2011 (Rhone Valley, France)
(50% Grenache + 15% Mourvedre + 13% Clairette + 12% Picpoul + 10% Syrah) + TAVEL TERROIR = an outstanding rosé from a land devoted to making serious full bodied rosé. Just across the River Rhone from Chateauneuf-du-Pape, Tavel is an appellation wholly devoted to rosé and was the favorite of Phillip Le Bel, the Popes of Avignon (just south of Tavel), the 19th century novelist, Honoré de Balzac, the 20th century writer, Ernest Hemingway. Among the few rosés  that can age, Tavel is lovely in its youth so good luck keeping your hands off of it. A rich nose full of fruit (cherries and plums) opens onto a vinous palate that in terms of body and texture is more akin to the red end of the spectrum.

Vignerons de Saumur Vendomois “Cocagne” Rose’ 2012 (Loire Valley, France)
Northwest of Tours above Vouvray, Coteaux de Vendomois gives the central Loire this bracing mineral rosé that’s both fair and fresh. Made from 100% Pineau d’Aunis (also known as Chenin Noir), this was the favorite of Henry Plantagenet, is a lovely variety unique to the Loire and is charming for a minerality that persists through all its high toned fruit.

Vignerons de Saumur “Cabernet de Saumur” Rose’ 2012 (Loire Valley, France)
100% Cabernet Franc from the chalky tuffeau of Saumur of the Loire Valley, this remains a perennial favorite every vintage. At an appetizing 12.5% alcohol, this rosé is lovely for its creamy and juicy strawberry fruit, its tangy acids, its big mouthfeel, and its rich and balanced texture. The fruit is complete from the nose, across the palate and long onto its minty finish.

Chateau Tour de Mirambeau Rose’ 2012 (Bordeaux, France)
Our first year bringing in this rosé, this shows how Bordeaux can make an elegant rosé. 85% Cabernet Sauvignon and 15% Merlot from vines planted in Bordeaux’ Entre Deux Mers (between the Dordogne [Dor-DOYN] in the north and the Garonne [GAH-rone] to the south), this yields a clean and crisp rosé of crunchy red fruit particularly red currants with a refreshing currant leaf note that lends an appetizing green note to the uplifting finish –offering a lot more snap than most other Bordeaux rosés. A quaffable little rosé to drink all summer long.

Alexis Bailly “Rose Noir” (Hiawatha Valley AVA)
A deeply colored off-dry rosé (noir means black) which fits perfectly between a white and red wine. Light and flavorful, bursting with cherry fruit, the grapes are Foch and deChaunac, two red grapes pulled off their skins quickly at harvest to minimize both the color and intensity. Delightful on its own, or match it with equally light and lovely foods. Serve chilled.

Saint Croix Vineyards Rose’ NV (Hiawatha Valley AVA)
The Frontenac Rosé has a lovely ruby color with pleasant cherry and berry aromas. Just the right wine for a hot summer day this is a local wine made for the local taste buds: a semi-dry rose (meaning a touch sweet) with a lovely ruby color and pleasant cherry and berry aromas -making a great wine for sipping with cheese and fruit, appetizers pork and ham.

Bianchi “New Age” Rose’ (Mendoza, Argentina)
This truly Argentine, semisweet, slightly sparkling rosé is made of 50% Malbec and 50% Merlot from the Bianchi vineyards in San Rafael, Mendoza. Fresh and floral it offers sweet scents of wild raspberries, a little kiss of sweetness and a pleasantly effervescent finish that is so nice served chilled as an aperitif or a light dessert wine.

Riondo Prosecco Rose (Veneto, Italy)
This delicious light pink colored sparkler displays fine bubbles loaded with aromas and flavors of sweet cherries and fresh picked strawberries. It is light to medium bodied, lively, fresh and explosively fruity. This is a great crowd pleaser made from the Raboso variety unique to the Veneto region

Il Follo Prosecco Rose’ (Veneto, Italy)
70% Glera (the variety formerly known as Prosecco which is now strictly speaking an appellation among the DOCG) & 30% Cabernet Sauvignon. Beautiful gemstone pink color. The nose is of strawberries and a little yeast. There’s bright yet sweet cherry hard candy on the palate that’s perfectly balanced by its acidity and fine mousse.

Chiarli Brut de Noir Rose’ (Emilia-Romagna, Italy)
Gently pressed from Grasparossa and Pinot Noir, this brilliant rose from Emilia Romagna spends six months in cuve close to yield a delightful glass of sparkling rose. A gentle mousse bearing a gentle rose with the soft spoken charm of leesy strawberries, faint mint and cider apples opens onto a creamy textured bubbly that is perfectly balanced with the acidity of fresh fruit and a dry snap that I could drink all day long. One ought to spend many a weekend brunching over this wine -when throughout the mid morning meal you simply pop into more of the same sparkler until your lifestyle seems defined by leisure. An absolute delight of a dry, sparkling rose that pours over the palate and washes away the tarnish of the world, Chiarli makes effervescent wine both interesting and playful. 12% alcohol by volume.

Baumard Cremant “Carte Corail” NV (Loire Valley, France)
100% Cabernet Franc. This is was a surprise addition to our offering of Baumard wines, one day it just appeared in the inventory. One of our favorite sparkling wines is the Cremant Brut from Baumard, cremant meaning lightly effervescent. So on their last visit to the winery its no surprise that the rose struck a harmonic cord with our staff. Really pretty in the glass, its equally attractive in the mouth. Suggestive of strawberry and rhubarb pie with melting vanilla ice cream. A total charmer! -Larry Colbeck

Baron de Seillac Rose’ NV (Provence, France)
This rose is a great follow through to Baron de Seillac’s Blanc de Blancs’ 1-2 punch proving Laurent Breban makes top notch sparkling wine. 100% Grenache lends a fresh, floral fragrance and a dry palate replete with white cherries, a faint mandarin acidity, and a fine mousse. At 11.5% alcohol, this wine is a dreamy option as a ready aperitif, a delightful bruncheon wine, or a terrific vin de soif! Buy it by the case and keep one in the ice box at all times. Baron de Seillac is a shining example that shows sparkling wine should be a daily affair -adding joy and panache to each and every day.

Jansz Brut Rose’ NV (Tasmania, Australia)
Northeastern Tasmania’s cool climate and Pinot Noir combine to great effect.  In the Tamar Valley of the Pipers River region the basaltic soil slowly ripens the fruit and with the moderating effect of the Bass Strait nearby, they preserve the acidity in this sparkling rose. With its secondary fermentation in bottle, this combines rose petals with turkish delight, that strawberry fruit from the Pinot Noir and a creamy texture that provides balance and length to its refreshing finish. Jansz was Tasmania’s first sparkling wine to be made according to the traditional méthod champenoise which they like to call the Méthode Tasmanoise.

Argyle Brut Rose’ 2009 (Oregon)
48% Pinot Noir, 42% Pinot Meunier, 10% Chardonnay from Knudsen Vineyards in the Dundee Hills AVA of Willamette Valley. From its pale salmon-pink depths, rise aromas of rose petals, spring’s first strawberries, cherry blossoms, and just a hint of hay in a sun-drenched summer field. This Rosé shows a complex and elegant palate of red berries with underpinnings of licorice, guava, and filo pastry, all supported by a wonderfully slaty acidity and a delicate, yet persistent mousse.

Haton Rose’ NV (Champagne, France)
A fourth generation Champagne house of premier quality and astounding value, Haton is now run by Jean-Noël and his son Sébastien out of the family property in the Marne Valley.  Comprised of 30% Chardonnay, 35% Pinot Meunier, 25% Pinot Noir, and the addition of reserve wines to round it out, Haton’s Rosé is made from the family holdings in Damery within the Marne.   The colour is a pink with salmon pink shades, enhancing the white and creamy head. The fruitiness of the nose is mostly based on red berry aromas conveyed on a full-bodied that finishes soft.

Hebrart Rose’ NV (Champagne, France)
erhaps Terry Thiese descibes this Marne rose best “As always this is an intellectual lady-librarian with, shall we say, an ooh-la-la taste in undergarments, and perhaps a fetching tattoo hidden beneath them. You think it’s “correct,” it starts to vamp, you think it’s “sexy,” it starts to admonish you with its elegance and command. 46% CH, 45% PN and 9% Mareuil still PN (from ’06); the blend is 70% ’07, 30% ’06. 12/09 disgorgement. This is an extroverted rendition of this always-delicious Rosé. It’s almost giddy, silky, with crisp diction, yet baby, what ripe berries are in this basket.” Oh and perhaps it’s good to know this Farmer Fizz scored 91 WA, 92 Tanzer, and 90 Burghound.

Fact #1: If you get headaches from wine, it is most likely not because of the sulfites.

Fact #2: Sulfites are a natural and essential ingredient for wine stabilization. To repeat: natural and essential.

Fact #3: European wines contain the same amount of sulfites as those in America. It’s simply our labeling laws that lead to confusion.

***

The start of the sulfite issue

Remember the salad bar craze of the 1980′s? No restaurant, no matter how fancy, could resist the idea of having a fifty yard long selection of greens, fruits, nuts, dressings, and bacon bits. All day long, everyday, customers would be told “and you can help yourself to the salad bar anytime.” Riots ensued as frantic customers rushed for the romaine, stomping the elderly on their quest for the bleu cheese dressing. Ok, maybe not riots, but salad bars were a big deal.

Which lead to a problem: how do you keep spinach that is sitting out untouched for eight days at a time (spinach was not very popular in the Reagan years) from wilting? How do you keep those apples looking fresh between lunch and dinner?

Enter the overuse of sulfites.

To keep those veggies and fruits looking good, restaurants used ungodly amounts of sulfites, effectively blocking any and all oxygen from contacting the product. With early Madonna or Duran Duran playing through the speakers, cooks would walk up and down the salad bar with spray can in hand, dousing the product.

Keep in mind that sulfites are natural (more on that later), and keep in mind that the low levels of sulfites we are continuously exposed to pose no danger to 99.99999999% of the population (okay, that stat is made us … let’s instead say “incredible vast majority”). However, asthmatics as a group have more sensitivity to sulfites than others, and it was asthmatics as a group that started dropping like flies next to the salad troughs across America. (okay, maybe ‘dropping like flies’ is a wrong term … but there were 13 deaths associated with salad bars during this time). The insanely high and extremely dangerous levels of sulfite being used to keep the broccoli looking good did these poor souls in.

Enter the Federal Government! They will save the day! We can’t have this craziness happen across our land! This is America! So rather than listen to scientists, or work with the restaurant associations, or simply put out a flyer warning of sulfite reactions, they attacked the wine industry.

Sulfites are natural, and American labeling laws

Even as long as 500 years ago the formulas for using sulfites for preservation in wine were well-known, including German texts that encouraged the burning of powdered sulphur, wood shavings, and herbal concoctions into a barrel to help infuse the wine with sulfites. Oxygen is the enemy of wine, and before the advent of stainless steel tanks it was always a battle to keep the O2 at bay. Yes, in the mid 20th century sulfites were used a bit more than they should have been, but as our understanding of chemistry heightened, less and less sulfite was needed.

Fast forward to the 1980′s. We enjoyed our neon clothes and rocked out to “The Safety Dance”, our salad bars were long and delicious, and we enjoyed both American and European wines. In 1987, the passage of the new Federal Wine Labeling Law took effect and gave all wineries selling their product in the United States one year to comply: you must label all wines containing at least 10 ppm sulfite as “Contains Sulfites.”

Want to learn how screwed up this law is? A totally natural level of sulfites, produced as a by-product of a natural fermentation (I intentionally use the word ‘natural’ twice) is 10-20 ppm. Most wine makers will add a small amount more, bringing the level to an industry average of 125 ppm. This is still far below the threshold of danger, and ironically the following food items will often contain higher levels of sulfite without the labeling law applying to them:

Baked Goods
Soup Mixes
Jams and Jellies
Canned Vegetables
Pickled Foods
Grape Juice
Apple Cider
Bottled Lemon Juice
Potato Chips
Molasses
Tea
Shrimp
Guacamole
Maraschino Cherries

Thus, wine was singled out in a very strange way.

So how did the law impact public perception? In 1988 the law was in full effect, and rather than educate consumers or open discussion the opposite occurred: because there were suddenly wines on the shelf that said “Contains Sulfites” next to ones that didn’t (from previous vintages), the new wines were stigmatized. Compounding the issue was the increased European travel that many Americans began to enjoy. Sitting in a cafe in Paris or at an enoteca in Tuscany, they turned the bottle around and exclaimed “Honey! Look! They don’t use sulfites in Europe!”

Oh, but it gets even more convoluted. Enter the term “organic wine” and there is a whole new spin to this craziness. To use the term “organic wine” (as opposed to the more common “grown with organic grapes”) on a wine label in the United States, a wine can have no added sulfites and must be below 10ppm. Yes, sulfites are natural. Sulfites occur spontaneously  Sulfites are found in many of the foods we eat, at levels far higher than 10ppm. Sulfite levels in many organic foods are far higher than 10ppm but wine has been targeted as the evil that must be regulated. Does this make sense to you? It doesn’t to us either.

Sulfites are not to blame

So what is causing the occasion ‘wine headache’ with some people? The truth is we don’t know, but don’t blame the sulfites. Because of the widespread presence of sulfites in many things we eat, you can rest assured sulfites are not a problem. (And if you are one of the rare folks that do have a sulfite allergy, you know it and your diet is restricted because of it.)

If you do suffer from headaches, it might be a histamine reaction. Try taking an anti-histamine before the next big wine tasting and see if it helps.

Sadly, there is no money to study the subject of wine and headaches. As Andrew Waterhouse of the Waterhouse Lab at the University of California, Davis, says:

There is no medical research data showing that sulfites cause headaches! There is something in red wine that causes headaches, but the cause has not yet been discovered.  Refer to the Bakalinsky article above.  To avoid these common headaches, try drinking less wine, and drink with food.   If you think sulfites are causing your headache, try eating some orange-colored dried apricots, and let me know if that induces a headache.  If not, sulfites are not the likely culprit.  These bright colored dried fruits typically have 2000 mg/kg sulfites, so a two ounce serving (56 gm) should contain about 112 mg sulfites. It is certainly possible that sulfites cause headaches, but as noted above, there is no data available. Feel free to send a memo to the NIH suggesting this be the target of future research so the question can be addressed.

We hope this article has opened your eyes and brought more understanding to this subject. Further information can be found of the following fine websites.

About.com on Wine Sulfites
Sulfites in wine: the myths, the facts, and the truth on thekitchn.com
Waterhouse Lab, UC Davis, paper on wine sulfites
Palate Press: Much ado about sulfites, French wines, and organic regulations

Organic and biodynamic farming practices are not a box we check when building new relationships around the world – it is not a litmus test – but often becomes a quality most of our wineries adhere to naturally.

It just makes sense. If you’re looking to build a small business to last for the long haul, if you’re building your business to pass onto another generation, and if you’re working with an agricultural product that is highly sensitive to effects of chemical manipulation, then ‘going green’ is not only the right path, but often times the only path.

Our experiences with wineries the world over that have converted from conventional farming to organic or biodynamic practices have convinced us of this truth.

So to all our friends and family world-wide, who are walking their fields everyday knowing their little kids can run up to the vine at anytime and eat a grape without worry, we wish you the happiest for Earth Day 2013.

Image: ladybug on vine cuttings, Frog’s Leap Winery, March 2013

Spading the dirt, we looked down into our hole.  John grabbed handfuls of soil, grinding it between his fingers. “Look, nothing!  No bugs, no worms, no seeds, no moisture — even through that hose is dripping away on top of the vine. Okay, quick, let’s get back.” Covering our tracks, we re-filled the hole and ran back to the Frog’s Leap property.

“Okay, again, dig a hole. Anywhere.” One turn of dirt revealed something amazing. Worms, bugs, seeds, stems, roots, and what could best be described as ‘life energy’ permeated every inch. Keep in mind the two holes we dug were a mere 60 feet apart.  The health of the Frog’s Leap property is immediately evident in a situation like this.

“Squeeze that dirt, feel the moisture.” Rather that falling to dust, the dirt clumped together and cool moisture covered our palms.

It was September in Napa Valley, and it hadn’t rained in three months. The vineyards at Frog’s Leap are dry farmed, without irrigation. So how can the dirt have any moisture content?

“It’s all about soil management” says the always jovial Jonah Beer, VP and Director of Sales, as he showed off the nitrogen nodule on a plant and the moisture holding content of the soil. “We establish the right cover crops to grow during the winter (Purple Vetch, Clover, Austrian Winter Pea, and many others) to bring essential elements to the soil, then we till alternate rows to help the bugs spread around, then we till everything just before summer hits. The dust settles on the vineyard like a blanket, holding in all the moisture. We don’t need to add any water.” Looking around it becomes evident: no long black tubes cascading from vine to vine.

“Keep in mind that 70% of a grapevine is below ground, and we use rootstock that sends those roots deep, not wide. These are happy vines, not suffering vines.”

It’s not that dry farming is a new idea. An interesting point to consider: all of Napa Valley was dry farmed until the 1970′s. All of the legendary wines of the mid 20th century from Inglenook, BV, Heitz Martha’s Vineyard, and even the 1973 Stag’s Leap Cabernet that won the Judgement of Paris? Dry farmed.

Therefore, dry farming marks a new return to an old idea.

Most vineyards managers and winery owners will look you straight in the eye and say growing grapes in Napa Valley without irrigation is impossible. ”They’re right,” says Williams, “because of the rootstock they are using and the way they have planned their property, they need irrigation. To dry farm a vineyard you can’t just turn the water off. You need to consider these things when planting and establishing the property. The right rootstock, healthy soil, and a long-term outlook.” Most wineries are thinking three days or three weeks ahead, whereas Frog’s Leap is thinking three years or three decades ahead with every vineyard decision.

Look ma! No irrigation lines!

***

Alcohol levels continue to be a source of great controversy in the wine world. As the bombastic “more is better” styles of wine started to get the attention (and high scores) of wine critics in the early 1990′s, John Williams held firm. Never receiving the big press and “hedonistic fruit bomb” accolades was just fine with him, for he was making the style of wine he believed in and personally enjoyed. “We had one wine, in the early 2000′s, that got a bit out of control at 14.5%, but other than that one, everything we do is a reasonable and more enjoyable alcohol level.”

How can this be? When farming the same varietals in the same terroir as his neighbors, why does this dramatic difference take place? (John’s 2010 Cabernet Sauvignon is 13.9%, while the one made right next door is 14.9%.) It’s not simply brix levels at the time of harvest, as you might expect. It’s more complicated than that. In the end, it returns yet again to the farming.

Here’s the short version of how his neighbor’s grapes are grown: Take a vine, drip water spiked with fertilizers continuously on top of the roots, the roots form into a little ball simply sucking on this free water, the weeds (which, because the root spread is the size of a dinner platter, could choke out the vine) move in to get some of the water, so you kill the weeds with chemicals, but the nitrogen levels fall quickly, so you douse the vine with more fertilizer, spiking the sugar levels long before phenolic ripeness has completed. Additionally, because of the water and nitrogen spike, the vine grows too quickly and puts energy into canopy production instead of fruit quality. By the time of harvest, the vine is totally confused about what its goal is and you end up with high brix levels but the classic bell pepper aromas feared by many winemakers.

As John is fond of saying: “Never forget: a vine that grows like a weed, makes a wine that tastes like a weed.”

This is why you’ll never find the bell pepper aromas in the Frog’s Leap Cabernet. By dry farming the vineyards and using cover crops to balance and control nitrogen levels, the vines can put all their happy energy into making great grapes. And in the end, isn’t that what the vine wants?

For more info on the farming practices at Frog’s Leap, check out these articles:

From Treehugger.com, “Frog’s Leap Winery Saves 10 Millions Gallons a Year”

From Wines & Vines, “Dry, Dry Again“

From the California Water Agricultural Stewardship Initiative, “Dry Farming”

“If you want real pleasure in a wine, if you believe that a wine has a

soul, if you believe in the natural quality of wine and its dependence

on place, you will be left with the inescapable conclusion, as have I,

that we need to grow our vines deeply in their soil.” 

— John Williams