7 Affordable Rosés Perfect for Spring
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Abbe Baker
- 10 Apr 2017 | News & Views
Well, we did it—we've finally reached the first few weeks of spring. (And despite any lingering cold temps, let us give high fives all around.) When the flowers bloom beneath a sun-filled sky, that's the cue to break out a wine that is synonymous with this beautiful time of year: the refreshing, pink-hued Rosé. This delicate, crisp and fruit flavor-filled wine is perfect for spring and if its popularity is any indicator, we'd say this drinking trend will carry through summer and beyond...
“It used to be said that a lot of people didn’t take Rosé seriously and weren’t ready to pay the price,” says Wine Advocate reviewer Luis Gutiérrez. "Many producers were forced to cut corners and not use very good grapes for its production. But now the trend seems to have reversed—more and more people are taking Rosé seriously and there are some really good ones being made. Rosé can be refreshing and really appropriate for springtime and summer.”
Being a resident of Spain, as well as the reviewer for the country's wines, Gutiérrez continues: “In many regions in Spain, the tradition was to make wine with a mixture of red and white grapes in a style called clarete, which was very popular, for example, in Ribera del Duero.” When asked about a great example of this style of wine, he recommended “Dominio del Águila, the Pícaro Clarete (last vintage tasted 2014), [which is] produced with approximately 60% white grapes and the rest red grapes, aged in barrel for one year; it is designed to evolve in bottle and can be enjoyed on release, a couple of years after the harvest, or in the next five years. It ages in the direction of a white.”
And as far as grape varieties are concerned, he says, “though many grapes are used for Rosé, I believe Garnacha and perhaps Mencía are especially appropriate. A great value (SRP* $15) is the Naranjas Azules produced from Castilla León (last vintage tasted 2015).”
And lucky for us, Luis reviewed several sensational Spanish wines in our End of February Issue 229, including some very affordable and quaffable Rosés that retail for $25 or less! Now is the time to stock up on these spring-sippers.
2016 Arzuaga Navarro Rosé SRP $20
2016 Cepa 21 Hito Rosado Rosé SRP $6 - 15
2014 Dominio del Águila Pícaro Clarete Rosé SRP $17 - 24
2015 Belondrade Quinta Clarisa Rosé SRP $7 - 12