Remy Pannier Rosé ď Anjou 2014 Wine Review

“The only thing appealing about Rosé is its color”. While at a wine tasting event this past weekend this is what another lady in attendance said when the person conducting the tasting poured a Rosé. It set me back when the person conducting the tasting agreed with her. GASP! How unfair, how untrue! If you’ve followed my blog for a while, you’re aware that in the past I too have been judgmental when it comes to Rosé which for the longest time would conjure up memories of my Grandmother’s holiday wine choice of Paul Masson sold in a carafe shaped bottle with a metal lid. I still shudder at the thought.

In recent years I’ve made a point to explore Rosé wines and though the color is quite lovely, I've found it’s not just another pretty face. I’ve realized one shouldn’t paint with so wide a brush. Actually, some of you may have fond memories of Paul Masson.  I’ve learned Rosé wines vary greatly just like red or white and can be comprised of many different varietals other than Zinfandel.

As I stood at the tasting, I was thinking about this week’s Wine Wednesday feature that I had just enjoyed the night before. The 2014 Remy Pannier Rosé ď Anjou is from the Loire Valley of France. The wine takes its name from its location of origin, Anjou the former French county. This wine is a blend of 70% Grolleau, 20% Gamay and 10% Cabernet Franc. Though all are dark skinned grapes the salmon color of this wine is likely achieved by the skin contact method where the juice is exposed to the dark skins for a limited period of time.

This is an off-dry wine with notes of strawberry and citrus blossom and a pronounced minerality. It starts slightly sweet on the tongue and finishes with a lovely crisp acidity. Because of the minerality I think it would make a great pairing with fish or shellfish and because it is off-dry it could be wonderful with spicy dishes.  We enjoyed it with Parmesan Encrusted Tilapia. Try it with Grilled Squid Tacos with Pineapple Slaw and a spicy Thai Remoulade. Click the links below to print or save the recipe pairing suggestions. 

Parmesan Encrusted Tilapia

Grilled Squid Tacos with Pineapple Slaw and Thai Remoulade

Domaine de la Fruitière Muscadet Sèvre & Maine sur lie “Gneiss de Bel Abord” - 2014 Wine Review

Sur Lie, French for “on lees” is something I learned more about because of this week’s Wine Wednesday feature the 2014 Domaine de la Fruitière Muscadet Sèvre & Maine sur lie “Gneiss de Bel Abord”. I’ve been exploring Muscadet and it was the mouthfeel of this one that stood out, For a light bodied wine, it had a noticeably round, silky, more viscous mouthfeel than others I’ve had -  giving it more structure and making it quite pleasing. Aging sur lie is quite common with Muscadet, but it was this particular Muscadet that caused me to take notice.

In winemaking, sur lie means that the wine is aged on its lees (grape or yeast). In this case, the lees are yeast particles that settle to the bottom of the vat.  During this process the yeast particles break down releasing sugars and proteins that interact with the wine chemistry. This can enhance the structure as well as the aromas and flavors of the wine. This wine, was aged on the lees or “sur lie” for 5 months.

From the Muscadet Sèvre et Maine Appellation (between the Sèvre and Maine rivers) in the Loire Valley of France, the wine is 100% Melon de Bourgogne.  On the nose -  slightly floral (orange blossom)  salinity and minerality.  On the palate, silky giving way to a crisp acidity with a lingering finish. We enjoyed this with Pan Sautéed Halibut seasoned lightly with salt, pepper and paprika over a wild rice medley and a side of grilled asparagus. Enjoy as an aperitif and with a Grilled shrimp cocktail or with Clams alla Puttanesca. To print or save the recipe pairing suggestions, click the links below.

Grilled Shrimp Cocktail

Clams alla Puttanesca