Stop and Smell the Rosés: French Rosé Wine at Siciliano's

Siciliano's wine buyer Sarah Derylo

By Steve Siciliano

I have to admit that I did a little grumbling a few weeks ago when our wine buyer Sarah Derylo advised me that she was planning on adding some French rosés to our inventory. I’ve always been rather standoffish towards rosés simply because I assumed that they were cut from the same cloth as white zinfandels.

Not that there’s anything wrong with white zinfandels. They’re a little sweet for my tastes and some of them are a little one dimensional, but as a wine merchant I appreciate them because they can serve as a gateway for folks taking their tentative first steps into the world of wine.

Sarah, however, assured me that good French rosés can be bone dry and deliciously complex, and after trying a few of them at our in-store tasting a few weeks back I have to agree. I guess this proves that it’s never too late for a young oenophile to teach even a dogged old wine merchant something new.

The following are some of Sarah’s hand-picked French rosés that are currently on the shelves at Siciliano’s Market.

• Sainte Victoire 2012 Cuvée Rosalie, $16.99/750ml – “A wine with a scent of spring in a pretty pink dress. A delicate nose that is still unusually complex. Notes of orange blossoms and citrus.” A blend of syrah, cinsault, grenache and rolle (source).
• Chateau de Calavon 2012 Rosé, $17.99/750ml – “Pale salmon color with aromas of fresh strawberries and raspberries. Enjoy as an aperitif or as an accompaniment to your favorite summer dishes.” A blend of cinsault, grenache and syrah (source).
• Moulin de Gassac Guilhem 2012 Rosé, $9.99/750ml – “Lively and bright pink. Pleasant nose with notes of strawberries and aromas of crushed red fruits.” A blend of grenache, carignan and syrah (source).
• Chateau la Tour de Beraud 2012 Rosé, $9.79/750ml – “A soft pink color and an excellent aromatic length and depth. Displays fresh, elegant and floral notes overlying aromas of pear and light red fruits. Enjoy as an aperitif or with a meal.” A blend of mourvedre, carignan, syrah and grenache (source).