Summer Vacation Rosé
With our cold and grey summer in full effect, it’s nice to get away to somewhere warm, or at the least enjoy a nice rosé from a sunny locale. This month we have two rosés from coastal areas to help conjure those relaxing Mediterranean vibes. Both regions also share a long lived tradition of winemaking deeply intertwined with their local communities and landscape.
Sitting in the northern section of the Vinho Verde DOC, Lima spans the Atlantic ocean to the west and the mountainous region bordering Trás-os-Montes to the east. Split in half by the Lima river and with some of the highest rainfall in the region, it has a warm Mediterranean climate with hot dry summers and wet mild winters. It can lay claim to one of the oldest, if not the oldest town in Portugal, dating back 1125 AD, three years before Portugal began to split from Spain. Wines from this region were also some of the first to reach the rest of Europe in the 16th century, traveling north with cod. While the main white varietal here is Loureiro, native to this region of Portugal, the red grapes Vinhão (known as Souzão in the Douro Valley), Borraçal, and Espadeiro are the basis of their pink wines, which share the same signature effervescence as the whites.
Though it only gained DOC status in 1995, Italy’s Costa d’Amalfi has a winemaking history dating back to 600 BC when the Greeks first planted vines. This tradition was continued by the Romans who located some of their earliest vineyards here as well. It was difficult work then, and remains so today. For while Amalfi’s sheer cliff faces and rugged terrain make for stunning views, the jagged landscape means vineyards have to be picked by hand, as mechanical harvesting is nearly impossible. This remoteness has actually helped protect the vineyards from succumbing to the tourism industry’s lucrative scythe, as has happened in the nearby islands of Capri and Ischia. In 1997, the entire Costa D’Amalfi was designated a UNESCO world heritage site, ensuring its specific history, culture and terroir will endure. As in the rest of the larger Campania region, Aglianico and Piedirosso (known here as Per ‘e Palumm) are the predominant red grapes here, grown on clay and limestone soils at high elevation, producing long lived wines.
Think Pink,
Justin Malesheetz
PlumpJack Fillmore Wine Buyer
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Region/Country of Origin: DOC Vinho Verde, Portugal |
About the Winery: Beginning in 1963 but becoming properly active in 1968, this cooperative boasts over 1000 members and covers nearly 900 hectares (2224 acres) straddling the Lima, Vade, and Vez rivers around the municipalities of Ponte da Barca and Arcos de Valdevez in the central region of the Lima Valley where it is warmer and less humid than the coastal regions. They focus on the indigenous Portuguese varietals Loureiro and Vinhão, which thrive in the warm mediterranean weather About the Winemaking: 40% Vinhão, 30% Borraçal, and 30% Espadeiro pressed separately and fermented in temperature controlled vats. Tasting Notes: Pale pink veering towards salmon in the glass with a nose showing notes of strawberry, red cherry, and ruby grapefruit. Slightly effervescent and juicy on the palate with bright acidity and flavors of fresh ripe red berries and a citrusy, slightly saline finish of good length. |
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Winemaker: José Oliveira |
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Price per bottle / Price per case: $9.99 btl/ $107.89 cs
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Suggested Food Pairing: Fried green tomatoes, grilled seafood, ceviche, citrus salad |
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Region/Country of Origin: Costa d’Amalfi DOC, Italy |
About the Winery: Originally started in 1942 as part of a collective to sell the wines of the Furore Coast, Cantine was purchased in 1980 by Andrea Ferraiolo as a wedding gift to his wife, Marisa Cuomo. Since then, Marisa has dedicated herself to protecting and reviving native varietals and, along with oenologist Luigi Moio of the Quintodecimo Winery, crafting age worthy wines that can only come from the Amalfi Coast. About the Vineyard: Nestled in the hamlet of Vietri Sul Mare west of Salerno, the south facing terraced vineyards are carved into the Dolomitic-limestone cliffside 40-250 meters (130-800 feet) above the sea. Densely planted with the vines trained horizontally to produce air flow, protecting the grapes from disease pressure and too much sunlight during the summer months. About the Winemaking: 50% Aglianico and 50% Piedirosso hand picked from terraces 300-400 metres above sea level that is then pressed softly and cold macerated for 10-12 hours before fermentation to bring out not only a more vivid color, but also coax more flavor and aroma compounds from the wine. The wine is then fermented in temperature controlled stainless steel tanks for 20 days and aged for a further 4 months. Tasting Notes: Pale pink with a nose of dried herbs and fresh red berries. Medium bodied and fresh on the palate with flavors of red cherry and pomegranate and a dry mineral finish that holds on. |
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Winemaker: Marisa Cuomo |
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Price per bottle / Price per case: $30.99 btl/ $371.88 cs |
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Suggested Food Pairing: Antipasti, cioppino, pescado a la Veracruzana, pecorino, aged gouda |
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