alsace rose | Sip Tripper

Rosé is probably the most subjective wine that catapults conversations and arguments among wine drinkers. Considered the summertime sip, there are variations on the winemaking methods and grapes used to create a ballet-pink to jewel-ruby color wine, best served chilled.

As a fan of Alsace wines, I wasn’t surprised to fall in love with a 2017 Gustave Lorentz Pinot Noir – Le Rosé, even though I prefer Grenache rosés. Pretty as a perfume bottle, its shape and label match the elegant palate of soft and supple femininity. I would suggest sipping this throughout summer, and stocking up isn’t going to break the bank, either. Depending on where you purchase this wine, it ranges from $13 up to $19.99 per bottle. It also pairs well with barbecue, roasted meats salads, light cheeses, non-spicy Chinese, Vietnamese, Thai and Indian foods. Win-win.

Next, a bottle of Chateau Ferry Lacombe Haedus Rosé 2017, Cotes de Provence (AOP) France sets the stage for rosé excellence. I gave this wine five stars on Vivino because of color, clarity and taste. All magnificent. Fifty percent Grenache, 25 percent syrah, 15 percent cinsault and 10 percent vermentino work for me. The soft pink/peach color leads to a delicate taste of raspberry and strawberry mixed with some freshly-picked white and citrus fruits. Served best as an aperitif, but if you must sip with food, choose white meats or grilled fish, mixed salads, paella or Thai satay. Priced at $21.99 a bottle, you’ll want to savor this one.

Now we’ll head to Portugal for a 2016 Vila Nova Vinho Verde (DOC) made with 50 percent Loureiro, 30 percent Arinto and 20 percent Avesso grapes. Priced at $11.99, you get what you pay for with this bottle. It’s a bit frizz-forward upon opening, but once it relaxes, it offers a fresh, tropical fruit palate. Best served with shellfish and vegetarian dishes (sushi).

www.quintessentialwines.com

To converse about sparkling wine, one has to be willing to share personal experiences that most often involve a memorable moment of celebration. It doesn’t always have to involve celebration, though. It could simply convey an emotion you recall when you first sipped a particular wine. Perhaps the sunshine felt especially comforting, or a particular scent permeated the air that you pick up in the wine’s aroma, or the minerality of a wine connects you to the soil and rainfall experienced during a visit to the vineyard where those grapes were grown.

Wine déjà vu is interesting, and when I opened a bottle of Cremant d’Alsace Rosé produced by Gustave Lorentz, the group who sipped this sparkling pinot noir had much to share. My personal reaction was more about Alsace, a region in France I did not get to visit during my year living in Paris. Once I tasted this sparkling brut made in “Methode Champenoise”, my desire surged for a visit to explore Alsace.

A oenophile friend among my group of tasters had visited Alsace, so it brought her the opportunity to share details of her travels and love of cremant. Another in our group is a huge fan of rosé wine, so she was thrilled once she tasted the Alsace cremant and realized a new discovery to add to her wine collection.

We sipped this refined aperitif (valued ~$30/bottle) at the start of a dinner party, and it was perfect in its reception, both in its fresh and subtle fruit taste, and in its chilled serving as a toast to a wonderful evening. This pale, straw-colored sparkling is definitely worthy of opening at the start of any dinner party, if only to see where the conversation goes.

For more information on Gustave Lorentz, visit http://www.gustavelorentz.com.