two types of rosé
Although rosé can absolutely be drunk all year round, the hot summer months are where sales peak. It’s refreshing, with bright red fruits, and is often youthful, a drink-now style of wine.
But there are lots of different types of rosé, making it a more interesting category than stereotypes suggest. Here are two rosés I just got into the club.
Mas Champart St-Chinian 2023 ($20)
There’s a lot of rosé made in Languedoc, France’s largest wine region. Having a glass is perfect in the the warm Mediterranean climate, and usually at a very good price.
Mas Champart was formed in 1976 by Isabelle and Matthieu Champart when they took over a family farm. They knew nothing about winemaking, and sold grapes to a local co-op. But in 1988, they released their first wine and quickly gained a reputation for quality.
They’re based in St-Chinian, a hilly, stony appellation within Languedoc. Mas Champart has been considered one of the best producers since the first releases, and this rosé is a perfect example of why. It’s a blend of 70% Mourvèdre and 30% Cinsault: with its floral, herbal, red fruit aromas think of it as an alternative to Provençal rosé.
Jansz Vintage Rosé 2018 ($58)
30, maybe even 20, years ago finding good-quality sparkling rosé would have taken some seeking out: there simply wasn’t that much made as it wasn’t taken seriously. Trends have changed completely: now sparkling rosé is found all around the world, and a lot of it is fabulous.
Tasmania is also a region whose reputation has been transformed. It used to be a region that didn’t fit into trends for big, bold Australian wines but now it’s considered the region for outstanding bubbles. Tasmania’s newfound popularity fits in with demand for lighter, lower-alcohol wines—and the pink stuff too.
Jansz is one of the best producers. I visited last year and tasted vintage wines from the barrel and also the latest releases from the bottle, which was a fascinating experience. The wines from the barrel were superb: a great sparkling wine cannot be made from a mediocre base wine. The bottled vintage rosé (100% Pinot Noir) that I tried was from 2018: mature but still very fresh, nutty, spicy, toasty aromas, with ripe strawberries and raspberries. It’s proof of just how good Tasmanian bubbles is.
Whether you want a drink-now rosé for the pool or something bubbly and more serious, these two wines have you covered.