This is a sponsored post written by me in conjunction with the July #Winophiles event.
Wine samples were provided for this post and this page may contain affiliate links.
Lauren of The Swirling Dervish is hosting the French Winophiles as we explore Rosés from Around France. You can read her invitation here. And many thanks to Michelle of Rockin Red Blog for arranging samples through Teuwen Communications for the party. Again. They are so generous. Santé!
What the Winophiles are Sharing
What the Winophiles are Sharing
- Robin from Crushed Grape Chronicles shares her vision of Côtes de Provence through Rosé Filled Glasses.
- Mardi from Eat Live Travel Write goes From Rosé? No Way! To # RoséAllDay.
- Camilla from Culinary Adventures with Camilla shares Warm Weather Rosé and Cheese Pairings.
- Michelle from Rockin’ Red Blog will be Celebrating the Provençal Lifestyle with Three Rosés.
- Lynn from Savor the Harvest cues up Obscure French Rosé Wines - Drink Now.
- Gwendolyn from Wine Predator prepares # RoséAllDay with Grilled Cheese Gourmet for#Winophiles.
- Nicole from Somm’s Table adds Cooking to the Wine: Ultimate Provence Urban Rosé withHerbed Sous-Vide Chicken Breasts and Roasted Eggplant Sheet Pan.
- Jane from Always Ravenous offers up a Summer Cheese Board with Rosé.
- David from Cooking Chat says it’s Always a Good Time to Sip Provence Rosé.
- Jill from L’Occasion explains Why Rosé Matters, According to French Culture.
- Liz from What’s In That Bottle advises us to Live a More Rosé Life.
- Martin from Enofylz Wine Blog discusses The Pleasures of Provençal Rosé.
- Payal from Keep the Peas claims Rosé: The Original Red Wine.
- Julia from JuliaConey.com talks about Rosé: Not from Provence but Just as Delicious!
- Wendy from A Day in the Life on the Farm tempts us with Soupe au Pistou Paired with Rosé.
- And, Lauren, at The Swirling Dervish, is Celebrating A New Home with an Old Friend: Rosé from Provence.
A Confession
How Is It Made?
In hue, Rosés sit in the middle of the white-red wine color spectrum. And, as I thought, maybe people think that Rosé is a blend of finished red and white wines. It's not.
Rosés are actually made by shortening the grape skin contact that's necessary for making red wine. stage. To make Rosé, red grapes are lightly crushed and left to macerate with their skins for a few days. When the winemaker is satisfied with the resulting color, the skin, pips, and stems are removed. Common grape varietals used for Rosés are Grenache, Pinot Noir, Zinfandel and Tempranillo.
So, I've discovered that Rosés have the body and sometimes structure of a red wine. But they are usually served chilled and are refreshing like a white wine. It's actually the best of both worlds in my mind...and absolutely perfect for summertime suppers.
For taking part in the July French Winophiles event, some of us received samples of Provençal Rosés.
These wines are so versatile and food-friendly. For appetizers, I like serving them with something salty such as my Bagna Cauda-Bathed Egg Salad Toasts. For a salad course, again with the anchovies, I like a Boquerones Asparagus Salad, but Salade Niçoise is a great match, too.
If you are thinking of some ethnic cuisines to pair, Rosés are great with Mexican food, Thai food and Indian food! While I considered a Thai feast with Startled Pig (Moo Sadoong) and Grilled Shrimp Spring Rolls, I wanted to do something simple to showcase these wines.
I know, I know, I'm often guilty of elaborate meals - even on weeknights - but a cheese board or cheese pairings are some of my favorite summer dinners! Here are some suggestions for you as you explore Rosés.
With a fruit-forward Rosé, I suggest an aged goat milk cheese. A citrus-y Rosé is a great match with a semi-firm sheep's milk cheese with or without a seasonal jam or quince paste. A gooey triple cream pairs brilliantly with a Sparkling Brut Rosé while an Off-Dry Rosé complements a bloomy rinded goat cheese. Here are three that I served for this event...
With a fruit-forward Rosé, I suggest an aged goat milk cheese. A citrus-y Rosé is a great match with a semi-firm sheep's milk cheese with or without a seasonal jam or quince paste. A gooey triple cream pairs brilliantly with a Sparkling Brut Rosé while an Off-Dry Rosé complements a bloomy rinded goat cheese. Here are three that I served for this event...
Château de Berne Emotion 2017 + Pistachio-Laden Pecorino
Château de Berne Emotion 2017
Located in Lorgues, the Château de Berne estate dates back to the 1100s though the Romans had been tending vines at the site for much longer. Just 25 miles from the Mediterranean, the warm climate and altitudes render grapes that are concentrated, but with good acidity. A blend of 50% Grenache Noir, 25% Cinsault, 25% Syrah, the grapes undergo a cold-soak maceration for a couple of hours to produce that beautiful pale pink color. It, then, ferments in stainless tanks for two to three weeks before bottling.
This wine is the quintessential pale pink with fragrance of wild strawberries and summer blossoms. with refreshing flavors of summer melons, I considered pairing it with a goat's milk cheese. But I came across an intriguing cheese: a young Pecorino made with Italian pistachios. Produced by the Fratelli Petrucci, those award-winning artisan cheesemakers who graze their sheep in the mountainous areas between Lazio and Umbria. The pistachios are added to the milk and the resulting pecorino is left to rest for a month until it acquires a semi-soft consistency. The mild yet vivid taste matches the tone of the wine.
This wine is the quintessential pale pink with fragrance of wild strawberries and summer blossoms. with refreshing flavors of summer melons, I considered pairing it with a goat's milk cheese. But I came across an intriguing cheese: a young Pecorino made with Italian pistachios. Produced by the Fratelli Petrucci, those award-winning artisan cheesemakers who graze their sheep in the mountainous areas between Lazio and Umbria. The pistachios are added to the milk and the resulting pecorino is left to rest for a month until it acquires a semi-soft consistency. The mild yet vivid taste matches the tone of the wine.
Château de Berne Inspiration 2017 + Burrata
Château de Berne Inspiration 2017
Made by the same estate as the Emotion, this Côtes de Provence blend is made from 70% Grenache Noir, 20% Cinsault, 10% Syrah. With a pink hue laced with golden highlights, this wine is stunning to the eye and the tongue. It's both delicate and fresh.
I considered pairing it with a Grilled Haloumi-Watermelon Salad, but opted for an easy plate of burrata with garden-fresh tomatoes (thanks to my Wombat's Garden of Edibles!) and sun-kissed peaches from the farmers' market. Burrata is a buttery-textured cheese made from fresh buffalo milk. The outer shell is a smooth mozzarella while the inside contains a more ragged stracciatella mixed with cream. This culinary treasure is credited to the Bianchini family in Andria, Puglia. A little bit of salt and piqant olive oil make this cheese dish and wine sing!
I considered pairing it with a Grilled Haloumi-Watermelon Salad, but opted for an easy plate of burrata with garden-fresh tomatoes (thanks to my Wombat's Garden of Edibles!) and sun-kissed peaches from the farmers' market. Burrata is a buttery-textured cheese made from fresh buffalo milk. The outer shell is a smooth mozzarella while the inside contains a more ragged stracciatella mixed with cream. This culinary treasure is credited to the Bianchini family in Andria, Puglia. A little bit of salt and piqant olive oil make this cheese dish and wine sing!
Urban Provence 2017 + Bûcheron
Urban Provence is a Rosé that blends 45 % Grenache Noir, 35% Cinsault, 15% Syrah, and 5% Rolle grapes into a dry, beautifully balanced wine, boasting both fruit and spice. But it was the tinge of minerality that made me think of Bûcheron, a goat's milk cheese from the Loire Valley with a bloomy rind. When young, it is mild with a harder texture. As it ages, the texture softens and the taste grows more intense. Mine was towards the younger side.
Next Up: Grower Champagne
Next month - August 2018 - the group will be focusing on grower champagne with Martin of ENOFYLZ Wine Blog leading the way. Stay tuned. I'm excited to learn more about these grower-made wines.
Urban Provence 2017
Located near the village of La Garde-Freinet, less than an hour from Saint-Tropez, this 100-acre estate was recently renovated and includes a restaurant featuring Provençal dishes served family-style, an amphitheatre for concerts, and an artist-in-residence program. The wine-making side of the estate is more focused; they only produce a single product, Urban Provence.
Urban Provence is a Rosé that blends 45 % Grenache Noir, 35% Cinsault, 15% Syrah, and 5% Rolle grapes into a dry, beautifully balanced wine, boasting both fruit and spice. But it was the tinge of minerality that made me think of Bûcheron, a goat's milk cheese from the Loire Valley with a bloomy rind. When young, it is mild with a harder texture. As it ages, the texture softens and the taste grows more intense. Mine was towards the younger side.
Next Up: Grower Champagne
Next month - August 2018 - the group will be focusing on grower champagne with Martin of ENOFYLZ Wine Blog leading the way. Stay tuned. I'm excited to learn more about these grower-made wines.
Find Emotion
suggested retail price $22.99
*Disclosure: I received sample wines for recipe development, pairing, and generating social media traction. My opinions do not necessarily reflect the opinions of the organizer and sponsors of this event.
Cheese trays and Provence Rose sound like the perfect summertime, al fresco, meal.
ReplyDeleteI love your pairings! I searched for an older goat's milk cheese to no avail. I figure if I keep asking for more obscure cheeses at my cheese counter, someone will get the hint! And I would love to find that Pecorino with pistachios!
ReplyDeleteGreat cheese pairings! The Pecorino with pistachios sounds very interesting, I will look for that one. I think we were thinking the same with a cheese board dinner, it is a nice summer time dinner, with rosé of course!!
ReplyDeleteLike you Cam, one of my favorite summer dinners is a nice baguette, tomatoes and cheeses (I lean towards anything goat) which as you share just goes with rosé. Your other pairing ideas are making me hungry!
ReplyDeleteLove the pairings! Can't go wrong with rosé and any kind of chèvre, I say!
ReplyDeleteCheese boards and rosé is definitely the way to go in summer! One of my favourite meals too!
ReplyDeleteYou've provided the road map for preparing the perfect summer dinner. Love the pairings!
ReplyDeleteThis comment has been removed by the author.
ReplyDeleteI love your pairing and recommendations for pairing rosé cam. I’ve got some quince paste in my fridge. Wish I’d thought of it sooner. I did have rosé recently with red poppy jelly confit and it was fantastic!
ReplyDeleteGood suggestions on the cheese pairings for rosé. Hmm, rosé plus Indian food, I need to try that!
ReplyDelete