Sparkling Rose

Liz Durant
Product Advisor 
ANBL Parkway Mall

For many of us, sparkling wine is something we tend to save for special occasions or a celebration.

There is no doubt that bubbles are special and have a way of making people feel special.

Summer is arriving and as far as I am concerned, this is cause for a celebration!

Whether your occasion is a wedding, anniversary, birthday, the arrival of a little one or the arrival of summer, (at the risk of repeating myself ) nothing says happiness and fun like sparkling wine. Sparkling wine is a refreshing drink to have anytime. It cleanses the palate in anticipation of a special meal. It can add a touch of elegance to a simple dinner if guests are greeted at the door with a flute filled with bubbles. Often times when we are shopping for sparkling wine, Rose sparkling isn't necessarily the first type of sparkling wine that comes to mind. I think that as with other rose wines, they are often overlooked for a number of reasons, one being they are pink! Perfect for a wedding shower or a girls night, but for dinner?

Absolutely!

Rose wines pair beautifully with many dishes, but first let's take a look at how these wines are made.

Sparkling Rose starts out the same as still rose wine. The red grapes are crushed and the skins are left in the juice for a short time. This creates the pink hue and allows a slight amount of tannins to remain.

With the "saignee" technique, the red grapes are treated the same way, with only a portion of the juice being "bled" out of the tank to be used for the rose. The remainder is used to make red wine. Some producers opt to blend some still red wine with a white wine base, as this tends to add more complexity to the finished product.

The bubbles in sparkling rose can be achieved in different ways. A true pink Champagne comes only from the Champagne region in France. The wines are generally made from Chardonnay and Pinot Noir grapes. The brilliant bubbles you experience with Champagne are a product of the "champagne method" or "method champenoise". Using this method, a second fermentation occurs in the bottle by adding a" dosage". A dosage is a mixture of wine, sugar and yeast. The sediment formed by this secondary fermentation is sent up to the neck of the bottle via yet another process called ‘riddling". In the riddling process, the bottles are placed upside down at a 45 degree angle on racks. Every few days a person called a "remuer" shakes the bottles and turns them a little, slowly increasing the tilt. It takes about two months for this process to be completed. "Disgorgement" occurs next. That is the removal of the sediment plug and topping up the wine. The wine is sealed again and left to age.

When you consider the effort and unique skills involved in creating those lively, long lasting bubbles you may have a better idea of the higher price tag.

The "transfer method" creates bubbles as well. Because this method is not as labor intensive these wines are less expensive. Up until the (what would be the riddling process), the same procedures are used. Instead of the riddling being done by hand, the wine is transferred while under pressure to a large tank. The bottles are emptied, blended and filtered. Before returning to the bottles to be corked, the wine receives a dosage.

The Charmat method is also used in the production of sparkling wines. In this process, the wine is transferred to large tanks where the secondary fermentation happens. Sugar and yeast are added to the wine before it is transferred to smaller tanks designed to withstand high pressure and retain the carbon dioxide. The wine is then removed from the dead yeast cells, cold stabilized, filtered and the sweetness is adjusted with a dosage.

Carbonation is another means of making sparkling wine and is the least expensive; however the bubbles are large and short-lived.

Many countries produce sparkling rose wine and the labels will change depending on which country the wine is from.

Most sparkling wines from Northern Spain are referred to as Cava and must be made using the Champagne Method. In France, sparkling wines that are not produced in Champagne are referred to as vin mousseux. Italian sparkling wines use the words Spumante and Prosecco. Sekt is used on German sparkling wines to indicate a dry sparkling wine.

The term Brut referrers to a dry sparkling wine, Extra Brut or Brut Nature describe a bubbly even drier than Brut. Sec means dry in still wines, but when talking about sparkling wines, it actually means sweet. The term Demi Sec describes a wine higher in sweetness than sec.

This may seem a little overwhelming, but making yourself familiar with these terms will be useful in determining which style is right for you.

As I mentioned earlier, sparkling rose wines pair very well with many foods.

Veggies grilled on the barbecue served with a drier sparkling rose are a definite summer flavor combination. Add a few shrimp kabobs to the grill and enjoy. Sparkling Roses are great partners for Asian and Thai dishes, pizza or Mexican food. Fruit desserts are very refreshing with the bubbly. Try some fresh strawberries dipped in chocolate with your rose and enjoy a celebration of flavor!

If you think sparkling rose may be something you would enjoy, here are a couple of brands I recommend.
Freixenet Cordon Rosado (Cava) $15.99

This sparkler has lots of fruit on the nose. Strawberry,blackberry and dried dates and figs. The palate is light, fresh and lively with the red fruit following through.

Henkell Rose (Sekt) $13.99
An appealing nose of red fruit, apples strawberries, spice and leather. Strawberries, stone fruit and orange flavors on the palate and lively acidity to balance the sweetness.