Rosé is Not Just for Summer
You may have tucked away your linen pants and white shoes after Labour Day but the end of summer doesn’t mean you need to stop drinking rosé! Quite the opposite, in fact, as the diversity of styles of flavours make rosé the perfect food pairing wine in every season.
Rosé is made from many different red grape varieties and the most common way to make rosé is through skin contact or maceration, a process during which red grapes are left in the pressed juice for a period of time and then the entire batch of juice is fermented into a rosé wine. The period of skin contact (ranging from just a few hours to a few days) will determine not only the colour of the wine, but also the structure (longer skin contact generally results in a wine with more tannins extracted from the grape skins) and the intensity and complexity of flavours. From structured and bold to fresh and delicate, all rosé wines offer delicious combinations of red and citrus fruits, fresh herbal notes, savour and spice.
Hugely popular in the South of France, there are many styles of rosé in the region, but perhaps none so versatile as the dry, savoury, medium-bodied blend of Cinsault, Grenache and Syrah from Château Pesquié. This is a wine that will stand up to big flavours like anchovies, olives, garlic and saffron and will pair beautifully with Niçoise salads or Paella. It is a wine to drink during the fall barbeque season with grilled fish and chicken and even lamb with herbs. It is also perfect as an apéritif with rustic pâtés and terrines, charcuterie and sheep’s milk and blue cheeses.
As we move into the comfort cooking of the colder months, this rosé will pair with baked ham, cheese soufflé, potato-leek soup and perhaps most importantly right now, it is the perfect wine for your upcoming turkey dinner at Thanksgiving. So don’t bid farewell to rosé as you welcome autumn this week: you can drink this pink all year long!
Château Pesquié 2020 ‘Terrasses’ Rosé, Ventoux
Licensee: $19.95 / btl
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Wines are sold in cases of 12 bottles unless otherwise indicated. Delivery charges may apply. Some quantities are limited, and are sold on a first-come, first-served basis.
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The Wine
Château Pesquié 2020 ‘Terrasses’ Rosé, Ventoux
This rosé showcases the wonderful aromatics and funkiness of Cinsault tempered by the bright fruit of Grenache and the structure of Syrah. While there is always plenty of delicate, sweet-tart, red fruit and floral, there is also a distinct savoury note of dried thyme and rosemary that gives this wine interest and edge.
92 points – Anna Lee C. Iijima, Wine Enthusiast, July 2021
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Château Pesquié’s vineyards at the foot of Mont Ventoux.
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About Château Pesquié
Chateau Pesquié is a pioneering estate of the Côtes de Ventoux AOC (appellation established in 1973). The Bastide family purchased the estate in the early ‘70s, and reorganized the vineyards, preserving the best blocks (now close to 100 years old). Their daughter Edith and husband Paul Chaudière joined the Bastides in the mid-1980s, Paul’s family conveniently having 150 years of history in viticulture, and Paul’s father also being a professor of oenology in nearby Orange.
Pictured: Château Pesquié co-owners, brothers Frédéric and Alexandre Chaudière.
In 1989, the family established their own cellars and stopped selling grapes to the local co-op. Then, in 2003, Edith & Paul’s sons Frédéric & Alexandre assumed responsibility for the estate. Sustainably farmed since the 1980s, the estate moved to fully organic methods in the early 2000s, and now largely biodynamic. Solar panels on the property produce more electricity than the estate uses.
Estate vineyards are located in three villages: Mormoiron, Blauvac and Ville-sur-Auzon, where the southern slopes of Mont Ventoux are blessed with outstanding levels of sunshine (up to 12 hours per day in July), yet Château Pesquié has one of the coolest microclimates in the south of the Rhône Valley. This is due to elevation (between 300 and 400 metres) and the influence of the mountain. The variation of temperatures between days and nights (diurnal variation) helps create excellent physiological balance in the vines, and colour, concentration and freshness in the wines. The terroir has a great mineral diversity, predominantly consisting of limestone, and the Mistral ventilates, ensuring the cultivation of healthy vines. This remarkable place results in a range of impressive white, rosé & red wines, from traditional Rhône varietals. The wines are vegan-friendly.
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