Nothing wrong with pink that a little paint can't fix ...
Posted on 07/13/2008 8:59:53 PM PDT by bruinbirdman
Rosé, long dismissed by purists as uncultured plonk, has overtaken white wine in volume of sales in France, buoyed by a fashion for pink.
While much of France's wine growers battle lower consumption and persistent overproduction, pink wine - which comes into its own in the summer heat - is enjoying la vie en rose as never before.
It is estimated that more than one in five bottles of wine sold in France is a rosé, with the gains coming from falling red sales. A hot summer could push the amount of rosé drunk to more than half of all bottles consumed this year.
Pink wine is in vogue among French youth as a light-hearted, festive drink to be enjoyed with scant regard for labels, vintages, grape varietals and origin.
A study conducted this year found that red wine is favoured by richer, older French men, while rosé is drunk by both sexes, young and old from different social groups. Red is drunk mainly during meals, while rosé is also popular as an aperitif or in soirees.
Last month, angry growers of red wines in the southwestern Languedoc Roussillon region rioted against rival low-cost wine. But in the searing July heat of Provence - France's main rosé-producing region and which began making it 2,600 years ago – growers like Alain Combard are in the pink.
Surveying the vineyards surrounding his domain of Saint André de Figuière, Mr Combard, 64, raised a glass of chilled, dry home-grown rosé. In the dazzling light, the salmon-coloured liquid synonymous with Provence exuded a subtle perfume of grapefruit and lychee.
Sales from his domain, which produces 700,000 bottles annually, have increased by 10 per cent this year.
"We are extraordinary lucky as the world has truly discovered rosé. . . .
(Excerpt) Read more at telegraph.co.uk ...
Rose(with accent) from Provence is wonderful. Good and crisp without any bitterness, not sweet or in any way like other pink wines like “White Zinfandel.”
In France?? Imagine that.
They haven't heard about 'code pink', I guess. LOL
During misspent youth, we were always concerned about the vintage of the Ripple wine we drank. When we really wanted to splurge, we went for Mateus Rose.
Poured a glass of wine for my cousins new husband a while back, an IBM exec. He asked to see the bottle. "Yes," he said, "a very good month."
yitbos
ATTENTION FRENCH POLITCS AND CULTURE PING LIST:
Hats off to bruinbirdman for posting this article on the wonderful Rose wines of France. Lightly chilled, a perfect pairing for Summer meals. A true delight for the palate.
If you want to be on or off the List, please FReepmail me.
Rose... you forgot with ice cubes...
Anyway, booze is a good topic for Sundays.
yitbos
any particular label(s)? i have never tried a rose, but would like to... i'm definitely not a wine snob... tequila on the other hand...
I thought you were talking about Rosie O'Donnell.
I thought, that sure sounds like the French.
Can't advise on brand names, but any kind of Rhone rose, which would be a Syrah or Grenache (I think) would be great.
Rose made from Grenache red grapes is something else and wonderful to drink.
I suggest you go to a liquor store that has a good inventory of French wines and ask a knowledgable clerk.
Some of it is also called “vin gris”
And you’re right, most of the Rose’ in France is much different than the so called rose’ wines and white zin of America.
However, a local wine shop owner, sold me a rose' a few months ago that impressed me.
Now, growing up in the 70s -- when Rose was a syruppy, overly-sweet blended monstrosity (usually marketed with commercials featuring hip, beautiful people in caftans and medallions) naturally I had reservations.
What I found was a delightfully dry, strangely floral (can't describe it as fruity) light wine. Lovely.
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