The SOMM Journal

June / July 2017

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{ SOMMjournal.com } 47 of Grenahce and Cinsault. Southeast on the Mediterranean, Château Sainte Marguerite from La Londe showed tart grapefruit and white peach flavors with an edge of salinity providing a vibrant finish, reminiscent of the ocean rather than the mountains. Coteaux d'Aix-en-Provence is influenced dramatically by the Mistral winds that bring in cold, dry air providing the area with high amounts of sunshine. Unlike other regions in Provence, many rosés here blend in Syrah and Cabernet Sauvignon, giving them a heavier, firmer structure with darker fruits. Well-received was the La Provençale de Château Beaulieu, whose rounder texture and riper black raspberry landed more generously on the palate before the bright finish, which was more shiny than austere. Not to be ignored, however, was the powerhouse AIX Rosé for its summery red fruits and white cherry flavors (and bottled in sizes ranging from half bottles to 18L). Although the AIX Rosé does not use Cabernet in its blend, it does not want for ripeness and weight, differing from the ten - sion in Côtes de Provence. The vines in Coteaux Varois en Provence sit at some of the highest altitudes in Provence on limestone and flint, with hot, dry summers and cold winters, creating wines of balanced ripeness and perhaps the most complex flavors along with a unique acidity. There was less minerality but rather a focus on ripe berries, flowers, and herbal, savory notes. Château L'Escarelle Les Deux Anges is an excellent example, with aromas of white flowers and a palate that combines tart white cherry, ripe strawberries and red currants. the creaminess of all the Coteaux Varois en Provence wines were backed with a dynamic acidity, less racy than its counterparts in the rest of Provence. These developing styles throughout all the regions are the future of Provence rosé and the rea - son why so many wine professionals have stopped casting this historic and well-loved wine into a summer cameo appearance. There is therefore an undeniable versatil - ity in the food and wine pairing possibilities with Pro vence rosé. At the tasting in Boston, Puritan & Company's Wine Director Peter Nelson had no problem pairing this range of styles with the eclectic dishes from Chef Will Gilson's kitchen. For gruyère and cheddar grilled cheese with oven-dried tomato harissa, Nelson chose the L'Esprit de Provence (Faulkner Wines), Côtes de Provence, allowing the red fruits, bright - ness and elegance of the wine to balance out the spiciness of the tomato jam. Scallop ceviche "som-tam" with green papaya, lime and cherry tomatoes, presented a range of complex flavors, for which Nelson used the Domaine du Garde Temps Tourbillon, Côtes de Provence from Pierrefeu area, for very specific reasons. for very specific reasons. "This dish is like a ceviche," he explained, "but it has a bit of Thai influence and a very fresh flavor. What drew me to the Tourbillon was the aromatics. With this particular wine's floral and fruit aromas and the slight laven - der and herbs de Provence, it went very well with the dish. To be honest, if I owned this wine, I wouldn't drink it today. I would wait three months or more because what I smell in this wine is a future of great flavor. But when the wines are this young and haven't really hit their stride yet, eating something like this and then drinking the wine makes the wine open up considerably." Lauren Daddona, Wine Director at the recently opened Les Sablons from Garrett Harker, already has plans for consistent rosé offerings. "We drink white wine during all seasons, why not rosé? I like that rosé feels lighthearted, even though the wine itself can be quite serious." Les Sablons opened in April with 100 wines on Daddona's list, six of them rosé. "I've been pouring rosé year-round at restaurants for many years, and I don't find my guests surprised. I've also found it useful to have the color varia - tion during a long tasting menu progression. I love to pair Provence rosé with green veg- etable salads and certain crudo." Daddona's plan to offer rosé to her guests year-round will certainly be well received, especially in a place like Massachusetts where eight inches of snow fell on April 1. "I never plant the seed that rosé is seasonal, so I haven't thought much about a wintertime pitch. I find that rosé can elevate my mood on a cold winter's day." At Puritan & Company, Nelson's passion for pairing food with rosé has already made his rosé program successful year-round, going through 150 cases of rosé annu - ally. Over the summer, Nelson will cycle through at least 40 different rosés on his list, approximately ten from Provence at any time, and even in the winter months he carries a minimum of ten rosés. "When rosé from Provence can escape the shackles of summertime beverage, that's when we'll find that these wines will get even better," he said. "I think it's great for rosé." Chef Will Gilson and Wine Director Peter Nelson of Puritan & Company in Cambridge. Scallop ceviche "som-tam" with green papaya, lime and cherry tomatoes with the Tourbillon 2016 Rosé from the Pierrefeu area of Côtes de Provence.

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