Raise a glass to National Rosé Day. It’s coming up soon
The second Saturday in June is National Rosé Day. It’s time to raise a glass to the fastest growing wine category. In 2016 rosé sales were $151 million. By January 2020, they were $576 million, an increase of 281%, according to Nielsen Data. Over that time, consumers have seen the pink wine section more than double in local markets. The traditional style from Provence is most favored but that delicate dry/crisp approach is also available from many California wineries.
The increased demand has created a minor problem. In seeking out the newly released 2019s, I discovered that there were still too many 2018s, ’17s and even ’16s on the shelves. I wanted to blind taste the new vintage. I had to go to two major supermarkets to find six 2019s. Those older vintages (2016 & 2017) should be discounted to make room for the 2019s.
The 2019 Rosé Tasting
The Navigator and I invited six wino fanatics to blind taste four California and two French rosés. To break up the boring week, we chose Wednesday at 4:30 p.m. We thought by having an early start, the tasters would leave early. Oh well, it was just a thought. We provided popcorn, potato chips and sub-type sandwiches. No broken wine glasses or spilled wine. However, I did have to sweep popcorn off the floor the next morning.
The results were interesting. The eight tasters chose their first and second favorites which created two ties. The Bieler Pere & Fils from Provence and the California Cupcake Rosé were the faves. But just a point away were the Central Coast Joel Gott and the Yes Way Rosé from France. We should have had a tie breaker but our wino fanatics “tasted” all the wine. The tasting was fun and the average bottle price for the wines was only $9.10. Remember, Saturday is National Rose Day so please toast the day with a rosé. Cheers!
What’s on Our Table
The Steal: I always buy a few bottles of the Costco Kirkland Pinot Grigio from Italy. It’s a steal at $5.99 and it’s the perfect summer poolside sipper.
The Deal: One of my favorite merlots is the Los Osos Merlot from J. Lohr Estates. The 2017 Paso Robles wine was a Double Gold Medal Winner at the SF Chronicle Tasting. The SRP is $15 but the real deal is when it is sale priced at $12.99.
The Splurge: The 2016 Sunny Slope Cabernet Sauvignon is from the Benziger Family Winery. The Sonoma Valley Demeter Certified Biodynamic Wine is loaded with black cherry, chocolate, tobacco, spices and layers of dark fruit on the long finish. It’s a beautiful celebration wine at $59 and available online only.
Questions? Comments? Find me on Facebook or at rgwinton@yahoo.com.
This story was originally published June 10, 2020 at 3:24 PM with the headline "Raise a glass to National Rosé Day. It’s coming up soon."