@wineguyinnewyork shares with us his top pick of the week.
This week, we go to Provence to discover Petale de Rose and understand why rosé from Provence has a pale pink color.
The first pale rosé ever produced in Provence
I had my first sip of Petale de Rose on my first date with my now wife.
This fond memories may explain why I like so much Petale de Rose and why I was so glad to finally find it at Astor Wines in New York.
Petale de Rose is a reference in France, and not just because it is delicious.
It is produced by a very respected woman, Regine Sumeire. She is a third-generation winemaker and one of the very first women to produce wine in France. And if all the rosés from Provence have a pale pink color, you owe it to Regine Sumeire.
Here goes the story. In the early 80′, Regine wanted a rosé with a pretty color, like rose petals, something that didn’t exist at a time when all rosés had a dark pink color.
She had the idea to press her grenache grapes using a vertical hydraulic press. Using this process, the juice is not in contact with the skins, preventing skin maceration (ever wondered why Champagne made of Pinot Noir and Pinot Meunier is white?).
She obtained after pressing a very clear juice, and consequently made a pale rosé.
The rest is now history. The pale color changed the perception of rosé. And what used to be a cheap and low quality blush wine is now chic and trendy beverage enjoyed in Saint-Tropez or Palm Springs.
You better understand now why Petale de Rose is beloved by many rosé aficonados like me.
Petale de Rose is an elegant, feminine rosé with a great finesse. It is dry and very low in residual sugar, mineral and silky, intense and complex, with ripe fruit flavors.
This rosé is 100% organic. I enjoy it as an aperitif but I also like to pair it with food. Always more glamorous to say that a rosé pairs well with seafood, but summer dishes, BBQ, or even a nice pizza will work very well too!
This 2016 vintage obtained a stunning tasting score of 95 at the Decanter’s World Wine Awards 2017.