Fragile? My eye! This week’s Wine Wednesday feature the 2014
Fragile Rosé Vin de Pays (Vin de Pays is
a step in the French wine classification above table wine) des Cotes
Catalanes (Languedoc-Roussillian region
of Southern France) reminds me that looks can be deceiving. Of course, by
the name and pretty pink color (the hue that lines a prize sea shell found when
combing a secluded beach), I was expecting something light, delicate and
refreshing.
First off, it took me a minute to ponder just how to open
it. I loved the fact that I could see
the cork and the text on it through the bottle - fun. At first I thought it may be a zork closure,
but that quickly proved incorrect. So,
what else could I do, I started in with the corkscrew through the black plastic
cap. As it went in, the black cracked and
fell away from the bottle – perhaps that’s the fragile part in all of this.
I had chilled this blend ( predominantly Grenache with a
little Syrah and Carignan) as is preferred with rosè, and swirled at first with little hint of
anything on the nose. After a little
time there was a nice salinity (or was it just me thinking about sea shells)
and subtle watermelon as well as strawberry, but the strawberries were how they
smell just after picking, where the scent of the soil and the vines are still present.
The salinity is likely due to the sea breezes from the Mediterranean coast and not just my imagination.
On the palate, fruit forward and slightly sweet on the tip
of the tongue giving way to a crisp acidic and mineral finish. The
finish was moderate in length but then I felt that warmth, you know the kind
you get from a big red wine, the kind that usually accompanies a wine with high
alcohol content. This caused me to check the label. 15.3% alcohol by
volume. Wow, not what I’m used to in rosé. This one could sneak up on you. The wine could benefit from decanting and once
allowed to open up, as expected, it became more aromatic.
I usually would suggest a rosè as an apéritif or with
lighter fare, but the alcohol content here prescribes something a little
bolder. An exception may be Garden Fresh
Guacamole. The fatty avocado could be a lovely contrast. Try also with Pan
Fried Pork Chops with Chismol or Pimento Cheese Mac ‘n Cheese. To print or save
the recipe pairing suggestions, click the links below.
