One of the true delights of summer is ideal weather for indulging in rosé. Light enough for a hot summer afternoon, but possessing a level of complexity and body lacking in most whites, rosés are a real treat, and a perfect match with much of the current menu at both Serafina and Cicchetti. A bit of an unknown, rosés can be made in several different ways, but the most common involves leaving the skins of the grapes in contact with the crushed juice for a brief period before fermentation begins (usually just two or three days). This imparts some of the color, flavor, and tannins of the grape onto the wine while keeping them fairly lightweight. The Saignée method is the other main way to make a rosé, and it involves pulling some of the juice from the must early in the fermentation process (vintners do this improve the color and intensity of the remaining red wine ) and taking that through a separate fermentation process. These days, straight blending red and white wines is almost never done, except occasionally in Champagne.
With rosé on my mind, I stopped by Serafina to chat a bit with our sommelier, Salomon, about the roses on our list. Here are a few of his thoughts.
-”This is the season for rosé. The best ones are coming on the market, and 2009 was an excellent year for rosés across Europe and in the US. Whether you’re talking about the classic Provencals, Aglianico rosés from Campania, or Portugese Vinho Verde rosés (like the Casalgarcia we have at Cicchetti), they’re all drinking great right now.
-”They’re such great summer wines because they’re great with seafood, with light meats, with summer vegetables. Plus, you can really run the gamut from light and crisp to rich and fruity. Rosés can be anything from vegetal to melony to minerally, and that flexibility is crucial with our summer menus.”
Right now, Sal’s favorite on the wine list is the Rosato Irpinia, an Aglianico rosé from Campania with a faint spiciness that complements the sweetness of much of the summer’s bounty. So come on in and give one a taste!
