Getting Serious About Rosé #2: Provence Rosé! (The Rosé you probably think about when you think about Rosé)

Show Notes

Episode 130: Getting Serious About Rosé #2: Provence Rosé!  00:00

Hello! And welcome to The Wine Pair Podcast. I’m Joe, your sommelier of reasonably priced wine, and this is my wife and my wine pairing partner in crime, Carmela. And we are The Wine Pair! 

If you are new to our podcast, here is a quick orientation! Each week, we explore a different wine varietal or blend—like Pinot Noir or Bordeaux or Rosé from Provence — and dive into what makes it unique, special, and worth learning about. Our goal is to help you expand your wine knowledge in a fun way that normal people can understand. We also taste and review 2-3 wines under $20 each, and share our scores and recommendations with you to help you find great wines without breaking the bank. We are so glad you are here! And, we are proud to say that Decanter Magazine calls us fun, irreverent, chatty, and entertaining.

Carmela, we are back with one of our Getting Serious About Rosé episodes, our second in fact, and this time we are going to be talking about and tasting and reviewing probably the Rosé everyone thinks about when they are talking about Rosé but didn’t know they were talking about when they were talking about Rosé - and that is Rosé from Provence.

I say that because, again, as we have said many times, and are going to keep saying until you have it chiseled into your memory, Rosé is a style of wine-making, not a wine in and of itself. In other words, you can make a Rosé out of any red wine grape you want, and so that means, depending on the grape, and the winemaker, and the way the wine is made, one Rosé can be pretty darn different from another.

And that is the tricky part because most people don’t realize that Rosé is a style of wine making. They think it is a specific wine, and it is not. 

Which is why we are talking about Rosé from Provence, France. Provence makes the most Rosé in France - about 40% of all recognized Rosé production in France comes from Provence, and France produces the most Rosé globally, and in many, many cases the wine grapes used in making Rosé wines from other parts of the world are those from the grapes that are used in Rosé from Provence. Because Provence Rosé is kind of considered the benchmark for Rosé

And we’ll talk more about Rosé from Provence in a minute and the grapes it is made from, but I want to stay on my editorial commentary here because we often hear people say they don’t like Rosé or don’t want to drink Rosé, and I think a huge part of that is because they think all Rosé wine is the same, which again it is not. 

That would be like saying you don’t like red wine when the only red wine you have ever had is made from Cabernet Sauvignon, or you don’t like white wine when you have only tried one kind of white wine. Because, just like the taste and experience of a red or white wine is impacted from the grapes it is made from and the winemaker’s talent and the area it is from and all of that jazz, the same can absolutely be said of Rosé wine. 

And as we mentioned in our last episode on Getting Serious About Rosé, a good place to start if you want to really experience and see if you like Rosé is by trying a Rosé that comes from a red wine you already like. Because, afterall, Rosé wine gets its color from the fact that it is made from red wine grapes and there is some contact with the skin of the grapes which creates the color, and the flavor of that wine grape is what will impact the flavor of the Rosé

Now, we will admit we have not always loved Rosé that comes from Provence or is in the Provence style, but we are going to be open-minded, we are going to give it a fair shake today, and we have two Rosé wines from Provence that we are going to taste and review in this episode, and both of them have good ratings so we are not trying crappola, and we are going to learn more about Rosé from Provence and why you should care  . . . 

But first . . . we have to do our shameless plug.

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And we want to make content you care about and you like, so send us a note and tell us what you like and don’t like, if there are wines you want us to try or wine making areas of the world you are curious about - and we’ll take care of it! You can email us at joe@thewinepairpodcast.com

And, as we do every week, we’ll tell you someone we think you should recommend The Wine Pair Podcast to - afterall, the best way for us to get new listeners is when you tell people that you listen to us. This week, we want you to recommend us to anyone who says they love Rosé because our guess is that they mean Rosé from Provence even if they had no idea that was what they meant.


ARTICLES and LINKS

• https://www.rosewinesworldtracking.com/#:~:text=France%20has%20further%20solidified%20its,1%20producer%2C%20no. 
• https://vervewine.com/blogs/the-blog/7-rose-producing-regions-you-should-know
• https://www.ultimateprovence.com/en/the-different-rose-growing-regions-of-france/#:~:text=Around%2040%20%25%20of%20France's%20AOC,Tibouren%20are%20also%20grown%20here. 

Topic: WTF is Provence Rosé Wine?  08:40

So, let’s chat about what the F Provence Rosé wine is, shall we?

I guess we should start at the beginning, and according to an article I got on the interwebs, which you can find in our show notes, Provence is known as the first wine region of France, starting about 2,500 years ago when the Greeks came and settled in that area. And, according to the article, the region became known for rosé early on in its history. I don’t know how early, but they said early, so there.

Then, in the Middle Ages, monks in Provence started taking over rosé wine production, believe it or not, because they needed something to do, and they were well known for making excellent wine. Because, afterall, who doesn’t think about monks first when they think of wine? I know I do! In more recent times, the first AOC, which is the official designation of a recognized and legally protected wine area in France is called (in the US it is AVA, in Italy it is DOC), was Côtes de Provence and it was established in 1977, and then two more AOCs came into being in the 80’s and 90’s - Coteaux d'Aix-en-Provence (Coe-toe-dex) and Coteaux Varois (Coe-toe-Vah-Wah) en Provence.

As we have been saying, a huge part of what makes one rosé wine distinct from another is the grapes used, and in Provence, the main grapes they use are Cinsault, Grenache, Mourvèdre, Syrah, Cabernet Sauvignon, Tibouren and Carignan. The tough thing is that the wines can be made from many different combinations of these grapes which also varies from region to region, and so sometimes you just need to get to know the style, and then get to know what the wines in the different areas of Provence are known for, even though there are some similarities in all Provence Rosé wines.

For example, in the Côtes de Provence, the wines tend to be dry and fruit forward, and are known to be flowery. They are usually made from the grapes Grenache, Cinsault, and Syrah. However, this is a huge appellation, and so there can be a lot of variations. The main rule is that some combination of Cinsault, Grenache, Mourvèdre, Syrah, and Tibouren have to make up at least 50% of the blend - but what mixture is very wide.

Coteaux d'Aix-en-Provence rosé (Coe-Toe-dex), which looks like AIX wines are similar in terms of grapes, but are often known for having flavors of strawberry, peaches, citrus, flowers, and slate or stone, and they are very high in acid, so great with food. The main difference in grapes is that they will sometimes sneak in some Cabernet Sauvignon, Carignan, Counoise, and even some white wine grapes, which is really surprising. They also require that the blend of the main varietals Grenache, Cinsault, and Syrah is 50%, but they additionally require that at least 20% is Grenache, and no more than 20% can be from white wine varietals. Confusing!

Finally, in Coteaux Varois en Provence, the rosé wines must be principally of Cinsault, Grenache, Mourvèdre, and Syrah, but they are much more strict in the amount of each. The principal varietal, or a single grape of these four, has to be at least 80% of the total, and at least two of the principal varietals have to be at least 90% of the total. So there will be more consistency in these wines, I would guess. This area has more intense seasons of both hot and cold, and the wines evidently tend to be bigger in flavor: one web site, which you can find a link to in our show notes, described them as richer, sunnier orchard fruit, sometimes tropical fruit, and rose or orange blossom 

Typically, these wines are not oaked. The goal is to create a fresh, light, crisp style of wine, which is what makes them so appealing, especially when the weather is warm. However, there are some wineries that are starting to oak the wines a bit, but that is not the tradition. And while rosé wines can vary a lot in color, Provence rosé wines tend to be very light pink color, almost coral. And, again, remember that the color of the rosé wine comes from the fact that they are from red wine grapes, and the juice stays in contact with the skin for a short period of time, less than 24 hours. 

But back to the story. The real story here is first, most people think of Rosé from Provence when they are thinking about Rosé wine, but we all need to understand what grapes those Rosé wines are made from because they grapes matter when it comes to the taste and flavor profile of the wine. Second, we actually need to understand a little about the specific area of Provence the wine is from to understand how the Rosé will taste. So, when you are out looking for Rosé wines, pay attention to the region and, if that doesn’t help, see if they tell you what grapes are in the wine. But if you see Provence on the label, you at least have decent chance of knowing what you are getting

So, on that note, I think it’s time to learn a little more about the specific wines we are drinking today. Whaddya say?

ARTICLES and LINKS

• https://www.wine-searcher.com/region-grape-provence-rose#:~:text=Provence%20ros%C3%A9%20is%20typically%20a,dishes%20and%20light%20zesty%20salads. 
• https://www.provencewinezine.com/decoding-cotes-de-provence-rose/ 
• https://www.provencewinezine.com/grape-varieties-by-appellation-aop-coteaux-varois-en-provence/ 
• https://www.provencewinezine.com/grape-varieties-appellation-aop-aix-en-provence/ 

Provence Rosé Wines We Chose for This Episode 16:52

As usual, the wines we have chosen for this episode are under $20, and both of them should be relatively easy to find because I bought them at a local Kroger store. I really wanted to go to a grocery store rather than a place like wine.com to find the wines for this episode because I wanted to see what was on the shelf in a not particularly well-stocked wine section - because that is how I think most of us shop for wine. 

I also wanted to see if I could find wines that I have heard of, or that had appealing labels and price points because I also think that is how most of us shop for wine. But, suffice it to say, Rosé wines are not hard to find, and Provence Rosé wines are also not hard to find. Just remember to look for something on the label that indicates it is from Provence.

Again, you can guess that a wine will be in that style if you can see what the grapes are. If you see the Rosé is made from Grenache and Syrah, you can pretty much bet it is going to be make in the Provence style. Now you just need to figure out if you like that style!

The first wine we are going to drink is called The Beach Rosé by Whispering Angel, and I chose this wine because there is a lot of buzz about Whispering Angel Rosé, but it is also a pricier wine because it is often found in the $30 range, but The Beach Rosé by Whispering Angel is closer to $20, and I got this one on sale.The winery calls it the “little sister” to Whispering Angel. BTW, I was in Trader Joe’s the other day and I did see the regular Whispering Angel for like $21.

This is a wine from Coteaux d’Aix-en-Provence, and what they say about this specific wine is that they are focused on sustainability and beach preservation. They also claim to harvest some of the wine in small crates, and some are mechanically harvested at night. I think this is because they make so damn much wine. They use a lot of technology in making this wine, so this is not a small, handmade wine. They do talk about how they make the wine on their website, but they are pretty cagey about delineating between how this particular wine is made vs. how their others are made, so I am not really clear on what the real scoop is, or what sustainability means to them in this case. 

They are also cagey about the grapes used. The best I could tell they are made from a blend of Grenache, Cinsault, and Carignan, but they don’t say what the percentage is. So, on those things, I am already not really loving this wine, but we’ll be open-minded about the tasting, since most people probably don’t care that much about the production anyway - but we do, don’t we friends?!? BTW, Wine Enthusiast gave this wine an 88 rating.

The second wine we are going to drink is the Aix Rosé which, from its name you can also tell is from Coteaux d’Aix-en-Provence, and for this wine, we actually have the grape blend - woo hoo! - 60% Grenache, 20% Syrah, 20% Cinsault. This wine got a 93 rating from the Tasting Panel, and surprise, surprise, a 90 rating from James Suckling, who rates every goddamn wine as a 90. 

The Aix winemaker also claims to be focused on sustainability, and they say they have high elevation and sustainable wine-growing practices. Their website, which we have a link to in the show notes, gives lots more information about the wine, including the weather the year the wine was made, and they talk about things like using organic matter and cover crops in their farming practices, so I actually believe these guys may be using sustainable practices. 

Overall, I really appreciated the explanations of the wine making process - high elevations, earlier harvest, weather conditions - so, while I am not trying to be biased, I trust them a bit more and feel less “icky” (and that is a technical term) than I do about The Beach which feels like a mass-produced monstrosity.

But, I think that is enough information - let’s get to drinking! We’ll take a quick break and be right back. And, if you have these wines or similar wines, drink along with us!

ARTICLES and LINKS

• https://www.esclans.com/product/the-beach/
• https://www.aixrose.com/en/news/aix-rose-2022 

2022 The Beach Rosé by Whispering Angel, 2022 Aix Rosé Wine Tasting, Pairing, and Review 23:32

Wine: The Beach Rosé by Whispering Angel (Click here to find this wine on wine.com. We may be compensated if you purchase.)
Region: France, Coteaux d’Aix-en-Provence
Year: 2022
Price: $18.99 (on sale)
Retailer: QFC (Kroger)
Alcohol: 13%
Grapes: A blend of Grenache, Cinsault and Syrah
Professional Rating: WE 88

What we tasted and smelled in this The Beach by Whispering Angel:

• On the nose: Strawberry, stone, citrus, watermelon, watermelon lemonade, lime
• In the mouth: Strawberry on the front, a lot of citrus on the back, bitterness on the end like watermelon rind, crisp, clean

Food to pair with this The Beach by Whispering Angel: Charcuterie, appetizers, chicken dishes, seafood, egg roll, gyoza, spicy foods, Asian foods
 
As a reminder on our rating scale, we rate on a scale of 1-10, where 7 and above means that we would buy it, and 4 and below means that we are likely to pour it down the sink, and a 5 or 6 means we are likely to drink it and finish it, but we are probably not going to buy it. 

The Beach by Whispering Angel Wine Rating: 

• Joe: 7/10
• Carmela: 8/10

Wine: Aix Rosé (Click here to find this wine on wine.com. We may be compensated if you purchase)
Region: France, Coteaux d’Aix-en-Provence
Year: 2022
Price: $18.99 (on sale)
Retailer: QFC (Kroger)
Alcohol: 13%
Grapes: 60% Grenache, 20% Syrah, 20% Cinsault
Professional Rating: TP 93, JS 90

What we tasted and smelled in this Aix Rosé:

• On the nose: Grass, earth, strawberry, not quite ripe strawberry and the strawberry leaves, citrus, minerality, peach, stone fruit
• In the mouth: Very tart, not very fruity, almost no finish, squirt of lime, squeeze bottle lemon, very citrusy, very bitter on the end

Food to pair with this Aix Rosé: Needs food, fish and chips, fried foods, chicken dishes, seafood pasta, salty foods, spicy foods

Aix Rosé Wine Rating: 

• Joe: 6/10
• Carmela: 6/10

Which one of these are you finishing tonight?

• Carmela: The Beach Rosé by Whispering Angel
• Joe: The Beach Rosé by Whispering Angel

Taste profiles expected from Provence Rosé Wines  35:30

• General 
  • Strawberry, watermelon, citrus, peach, minerals, spice, flowers
• The Beach by Whispering Angel
  • Winery: Great aromatic freshness on the nose followed by more subtle, fruity notes on the palate. The freshness is coupled with exceptional length and roundness. Crisp and suave finish.
  • WE: A new release from the Château d'Esclans in Provence, this is full of ripe fruits and red-currant flavors. The wine's richness gives it some intensity that brings a tang.
  • The Wine Flyer: This wine has an exceptional freshness on the palate, clean and crisp with light red berries, melon and a long round finish.
• Aix Rosé
  • Winery: A swirl lifts the intense nose of fresh peach juice, raspberries, and white floral blossom to the fore. Fresh stone fruit, raspberries, and the classic cranberry tang lead the palate and balance the fine acid tension. The AIX Rosé 2022 finishes with a refreshingly long, dry, and balanced mineral line.
  • TP: Key lime, juicy watermelon, and a steely undertone bring it to life; creamsicle lights up the finish.
  • JS: A medium-bodied fruity rosé. with lots of peach, melon and grapefruit aromas. Round and creamy with a velvety finish

We like Rosé from Provence afterall!

Outro and how to find The Wine Pair Podcast 38:01

Ok, so, Carmela, it’s time for us to go, but before we do, we want to thank you very much for listening to us - and if you haven’t done so yet, now would be the perfect time to subscribe to our podcast and also a fantastic time to leave us a nice rating and review on our website or Apple podcasts or other podcast service - and it is an awesome and free way to support us and help us grow listeners.

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Alright, with that, we are going to sign off, so thanks again, and we will see you next time. And, as we say, life is short, so stop drinking shitty wine.

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