First we were ZAP(ped) with Zinfandel, now we’re RAP(ped) with rose! Is this a great wine world or what?
Rose Avengers & Producers (RAP) held its first ‘Winter Pink Out’ tasting in November, hoping to explode the New World ‘myth’ that pink wines are just for summer sipping. ZAP, Zinfandel Advocates & Producers, mounts its annual monster tasting at Fort Mason in San Francisco. But the RAPers kicked the holiday season into gear at one of San Francisco’s mellower watering holes, the Ruby Skye nightclub.
RAP was founded in 2005 by Jeff Morgan, Carol Shelton, Daniel Moore, Paige Poulos and Jim Kopp, known by diners in the Bay Area who are fond of pink wines as ‘Mr Rose.’ Morgan, who makes only rose wine at his SoloRosa winery, slipped on his marketing hat and enthusiastically commented on the use of rose wines throughout the year.
‘RAP’s grassroots movement to bring fine rose to everyday American wine culture is being embraced with enthusiasm and outright celebration,” he said. “The event itself highlighted the fact that rose’s versatility makes it the best wine choice for holiday celebrations.’
I have been an avid rose fan and drinker for years, believing that pink wines rarely get the respect they deserve. A dry fruity rose is the one wine I’ve found that stands up so nicely to the broad palette of flavors and textures in a holiday meal. Here are three pink wines I tasted in 2006 that appeal to all budgets:
Fra Guerau, Montsant (Spain) Rose 2005 ($12, Freixenet USA): A lovely blend of Syrah, Tempranillo and Merlot that’s dry and fruity with enough stuffing to pass as a light red wine.
Lepore, Montepulciano d’Abruzzo (Italy) Cerasuolo 2005 ($25, Salvia Bianca Imports): A delightful dry rose, made from the Montepulciano grape that drinks like a light red. Good texture, ample fruit and a medium finish. This is what rose should be and so often is not.
Schramsberg, Napa-Mendocino-Marin-Monterey (California) J. Schram Rose 1998 ($120): Lovely color, strawberry and cherry flavors, sustained mousse and a long crisp finish. This is a lovely impeccably balanced splurge wine that stands up nicely to the best Rose Champagne.
In the short time that RAP has been around, nearly 8,000 rose lovers have signed on as members, including 177 national and international producers. To learm more about RAP, go to www.rapwine.com.
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