Fine Vines

By Any Other Name

by Eunice Fried

In Provence, it’s tradition that says a rosé is truly a rosé.

Mention Provence, in southern France, and we dream of sun-filled days, lavender fields, olive trees, bucolic villages, Mediterranean beaches, delightful wine and, especially, rosé. Made from a blend of red grapes — mostly Grenache, Mourvèdre, Syrah, Cinsault and Carignan — Provence rosé is noted for its delicious fruitiness, echoes of fresh berries, light spiciness and lovely shades of pink and salmon. Few wines seem as suited for a summer’s day as a Provençal rosé.

Made in the classic way, the red grapes are crushed and fermented with their skins, which give wine its color, for about four to six hours. When the juice has turned pink, the skins are removed and the juice continues to ferment. Without the skins, no more color is added.

This method takes time and expertise — which is why, when the European Commission recently considered passing a law that would allow its members to make rosé simply by adding red wine to white wine, there was an uproar. No, Provence argued, rosé is made of red grapes. “Rosé” of white wine with a touch of red has a different character, different attributes — and should have a different name. Don’t call it rosé. Days before the vote in June,the Commission dropped the idea. And Provence, and all of Europe, will continue to make rosé in the traditional way. It is this tradition that makes its wines so appealing.

Mas de Cadenet Rosé 2008 ($15) is salmon-shaded with a hint of pineapple in the nose, a fresh taste, fine balance and lingering finish. Mas de Cadenet Arbaude Rosé 2008 ($12) is pale pink and evokes raspberry and strawberry.

Château de Saint-Martin, begun in 1740 and passed through the generations by the women in the family, offers its Grande Réserve Rosé 2008 ($17), a wine of elegance, fine structure and an aroma of fresh flowers.

Château Routas, on the other hand, has been owned for four years by the Murrays of Scotland, who make a fresh and silky golden-pink rosé that is all fruit and berries ($12).

Château du Rouët Coeur Estérelle Rosé 2008 ($13), pale-pink wine, is fresh, fruity and mineral-y with an aroma reminiscent of pears and ripe berries.

Laws may change, but in Provence tradition lives on — and so does real rosé.