2007 Graham Beck Brut Rosé

Graham Beck. Add them to your radar.

While I was impressed with the brief tastings I had last week, I was even more pleased with what I found in drinking an entire bottle. I decided to try this one, as it was the only sample I’d received that wasn’t present at Empire’s trade tasting.

I also wanted a rosé to have with our pulled pork BBQ sandwiches, which turned out to be a huge hit with the whole family. It was really quite easy, thanks to Whole Foods and Bulls Eye Guinness BBQ sauce. While I know that Zinfandel makes a more “classic” pairing with BBQ, I find that sparkling rosés work quite well, especially if you prefer your sauce on the sweeter side. The acid helps cut the sweetness and the red fruit flavors make a nice compliment for my personal tastes.

This wine retails for around $15.99 and is available in the Atlanta market. Ask your local wine shop if they carry it and if not, ask them to special order it from Empire. Oh yes, FULL DISCLOSURE: I received this wine as a free sample.

One of the most curious things about this particular rosé is how they get the color. They actually press the Chardonnay (20%) and the Pinot Noir (80%) together. The pressing generates enough pressure to extract the pale farm-raised salmon pink (wild caught is much darker) color. According to the importer, the winemaker Pieter “Bubbles” Ferreira refers to it as silver pink, which we could see when we poured it into the flutes.

All the fruits are handpicked and the wine is fermented in bottle for an additional 16 months, which is a month longer than the minimum for NV wines in Champagne. The additional aging provides a richness that balanced on the other end of the see-saw by the tangy acidity of the grapes.

The aromas and flavors are as delicate as the color, so don’t expect a California bowl of strawberries-n-cream in this wine. I detected tart red fruits like sour cherries and cranberry, with a white mineral crisp finish. Beyond the BBQ sandwiches, I can easily see this going with sushi, which always works really well with petillant rosés. An above average value that should be on your radar for

Haiku
Pieter makes bubbly
Tart red berries and white shell
Surprising value

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Cheers,
Kevin

Chenin Blanc is an unheralded grape and thus goes un-tasted by many wine consumers. While its most profound versions originate in the French Loire Valley, it is overshadowed by better known Sauvignon Blanc growing regions Sancerre and Pouilly-Fume. The French forge Chenin Blanc in a wide variety of styles, including what is one of the finest dessert wines in the world. If you want to try something affordable and dry to off-dry, just ask your local wine shop for their best Vouvray.

In South Africa, they refer to Chenin as Steen, so if you see that on a label, you are shopping in the South African section and it is, Chenin Blanc. It is South Africa’s most widely planted grape. There is your wine trivia for the day.

Price: $8.99 at Green’s on Buford Highway.

Details: This bottle of 100% Chenin Blanc is produced by Ken Forrester Vineyards in Stellenbosch, South Africa.

Aromas: Strong note of wet stones, with some green tones. Think of walking through a meadow in Spring along a small stream full of river rock.

Flavors: The minerality is pervasive, but there is a refreshing green and white fruit profile as well, as if a slightly under-ripe granny smith were drizzled with lemon and lime juice, then had some green herbs thrown on top for good measure. The acidity was vibrant and this was very easy to drink.

Pairing: Paired with chicken and pasta in a cream sauce, it worked okay. I think a Viognier might have worked better, but the wine was still good. It would go better with lighter fare, including salads and seafood ceviches.

Final word: An above average wine in both taste and value, I’d buy this again. For $9, this is a great daily drinker and should be a summer time staple. It would also work really well as the base for a white sangria, since the minerality would help offset the sweetness of the fruit.

No haiku today.

Say that 10 times and tell me how thirsty you are. For those who are unfamiliar with Gewurztraminer (pronounced guh-VOORTS-truh-MEE-nur), think of it as being somewhat similar to Riesling, but with a lot more floral character. You’ll also see the term lychee fruit used a lot and until you taste one, you will just have to trust that is what it smells or tastes like.Think of it like a really ripe pear that has soaked in some perfume.

These wines can range from bone-dry to super sweet, but like any good wine that is intentionally made in a sweet style, the best ones will still have a vibrant and up-lifting acidity to keep them balanced and tangy. That is where this wine fell down a bit.

Price: $11.99 (incorrectly originally posted at $8.99 which was my mistake) updated on 09.24.09

Bought at: Bottoms Up Beverages

Aromas: Strong notes of stone fruit, which is where I’ll interject the lychee term. I also got some honey drizzled apricot preserve with roses sprinkled throughout.

Palate: It tasted pretty much like it smelled, only really sweet. It should have been served a bit colder and with a much spicier dish. The teriyaki grilled chicken and rice just amped up the sugar profile, so my bad on that. After dinner, I sipped on it a bit more and decided it was still a bit lacking in acidity, throwing off the balance just a bit for me. Serving it with the right food and at a colder temperature would have improved its performance.

Pairing suggestion: Spicy! Go with Asian or Indian cuisine, where the spicy aromatics and flavors will work really well with a wine like this. Make sure to serve it fairly cool too. I put mine directly into the ice bin in the freezer for about 10 minutes. Next time I’ll let it sit in the usual half-n-half bucket of ice and water.

Final word: Overall, I’d give this an average rating. It was a solid bottle for the price and being a sweet hound when it comes to wine, I enjoyed it enough to finish half the bottle. While it wasn’t the best thing I’d ever had, for the money it is a great value and a nice introduction to a grape varietal that many folks might not have tried before. Look for it in the South African section.

Haiku:
Sticky not syrup
Rose perfumed lychee and peach
Needs acid to bounce