Will a ros by any other name still be sweet?
By Jamie Gabrini
Summertime means time for outdoor events. And outdoor events mean picnics. And picnics, dear readers, mean finding the perfect summery wine.
Shakespeare in the Park is a tradition in many cities throughout the United States. Id never gone to performances in Central Park in New York because, well, um — I dont know why I didnt go. But since I moved to Buffalo in March, Shakespeare in the Park here is one of the first things I hear in a conversation (you know, after the shock and disbelief that Id moved here). While Im not a Shakespeare groupie, I do love outdoor events and was looking forward to it.
Perhaps I was most looking forward to the picnic that would accompany the play because I knew exactly which wine I wanted to bring. About a month ago, I ordered a bunch of wines online that I cant get up here, including a ros made from Pineau dAunis. Made by Loire Valley producer Clos Roche Blanche, its dry. Theres no sweetness at all hiding out, ready to assault your tastebuds. Instead, theres some fresh, but still lean, fruit notes with a finishing dose of Pineau dAunis characteristic pepper. I went wild for it last year and couldnt wait to try the 2005 vintage, which was stellar in the Loire.
Loves Labours Lost began on a surprising note: the set and costumes were designed in a 1930s style, and the actors moved and spoke as if in a screwball silver screen comedy. It was an interesting twist on a classic, but it actually worked. We tucked in to our spread pesto chicken on a garlic batard with frisee and red pepper. I opened the bottle, which was well-chilled, and we sipped it through the play. Initially, its very lean to the point of austerity, with faint strawberry notes and white pepper roaring on the finish. As it opened and warmed, the fruit blossomed on the nose and the palate, resulting in gorgeous strawberry and watermelon notes, with flowery aroma and that lingering pepper on the finish. A core of stoniness held it all together. We played with the flavors and textures of the wine by nibbling a black olive (balanced the pepper, lifted the fruit) or dark chocolate (quieted the fruit, but subdued the pepper too).
The sun began to set as we finished the bottle and we marveled at this refreshing take on ros. A wine in its own right, Im hoping to get ahold of a few more. Much like the 30s-version of Shakespeare, Clos Roche Blanchs Pineau dAunis ros is a delightful twist on a classic.
You scooped me. I just tasted my first ros made from Pineau d’Aunis — the Aubert La Chapelle Coteaux du Loir Ros (the “Loir” is not misspelled — it is, I’m told, a tributary of the Loire). The wine shares all the characteristics you describe: lean, almost austere, and very minerally — like a VERY dry white. I’m a bit of an acid freak, so I loved it. Fascinating stuff!