Around The World in A Rosé
Apologies once again for the tardiness here. Perhaps you’ve been distracted by the World Cup lately?
Well, the original idea this month was to tailgate the tournament’s ubiquity and excitement via one official World Cup rosé (made in California) and another from France, one of the favorites to win it all this year. For reasons not interesting enough to detail, this didn’t work out. But that’s just as well because 1) said logo’ed bottle of blush was actually emblazoned with FIFA’s considerably less popular imprimatur and, 2) we have instead two absolute ringers ready to sub in that together constitute an alternative Cup (more of a glass maybe) from which to quaff in victory - cause everybody wins here.
First, an Italian classic from Veneto that can rep the national side in lieu of its scandalous failure to qualify for the last three Cup, (despite 4 prior wins, most recently in 2006.) And second, one of this writer’s all time favorite shades of pink, the proverbial summer in a bottle , coming to us from the Basque country. And while that particular region does not have an official World Cup presence either, its native sons are well represented on the pitch, if you know where to look.
Go Team Pink!
The PlumpJack Wine Team
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Scaia Rosato |
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Region/Country of Origin: Veneto, Italy |
About the Winery: In the 1980s, four brothers—Armando, Tiziano, Paolo, and Massimo Castagnedi—began making their first moves toward opening their own winery. They had inherited 50 acres of vineyards in the eastern section of Valpolicella from their father, and in 1989 they purchased 75 more acres in the same general area, releasing their first vintage under the Tenuta Sant'Antonio label in 1995. Their goal was always to produce high-quality, traditional wines of the region, but in 2006 they began a new project under the label Scaia to further explore the potential of the traditional varieties they were growing. In naming this new brand Scaia, they referenced the type of soil they had in their vineyards—a chalky, granular soil that broke apart easily. Scaia is a word in Veronese dialect for crumbs, like little pieces of Parmigiano Reggiano cheese that fall off a large block, which the soil resembles. Scaia soil imparts a higher acidity and bolder cherry fruit character to the wines. About the Winemaking: 100% Rondinella from 10-15 year old vines planted at 200-300 meters elevation on primarily fossil-rich limestone. Whole-cluster harvesting with brief cold maceration. Aged for 3 months in stainless steel and then 1 month in bottle before release. Practicing Vegan. Tasting Notes: Color: pale pink. Aroma: floral aroma of roses, raspberries, fruity.Flavor: well balanced, tangy and fresh. |
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Winemaker: Paolo Castagnedi |
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Price per bottle / Price per case: $16.99/183.50 Suggested Food Pairing: First courses and risottos, white meats and poultry in general, toasted polenta with herrings, fresh cheeses and fish. |
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Ameztoi Rubentis Rosato 2024 |
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Region/Country of Origin: Getario, Basque Country, Iberian Peninsula |
About the Winery: Ameztoi is a renowned producer in Getariako Txakolina, respected for producing both traditional wines in large barrels and as an innovator for their rosé txakolina and méthode traditionnelle sparkling wines. Ameztoi owns twenty hectares of estate vineyards located in the most privileged position in the region, facing the Bay of Biscay. High in the vineyards, planted on the dramatic seaside cliffs of the ancient fishing village of Getaria, one can see the town of San Sebastian, which lies just twenty minutes away along a serpentine highway Ignacio Ameztoi is the fifth generation of his family to carry on the tradition of making txakolina in the province of Getaria, and he has played a key role in the advancement of the region in the last decade. His intuitive and fearless pursuit of innovation has been a driving force in the txakolina discipline. About the Winemaking: The iconic Rubentis rosé is a field blend of hondarrabi zuri and hondarrabi beltza varieties, which are co-fermented for three weeks. The backbone of the blend comes from a hondarrabi beltza vineyard planted in 1840, preserved by the Ameztoi family for generations. After handpicking, hondarrabi zuri and hondarrabi beltza grapes are combined for destemming; the white and red grapes are worked together, not separately. After direct pressing, fermentation with indigenous yeast occurs in stainless steel at 15°C for 20 days. Towards the end of alcoholic fermentation, the tanks are closed to preserve the naturally occurring carbonation, which is the preferred style of Getaria. The tanks are then kept chilled to near freezing before bottling, which preserves the wine’s delicate, effervescent character and signature mousse. These attributes are unattainable through shortcuts such as force-carbonation, which Ameztoi has never employed. Tasting Notes: Lightly effervescent in that inimitable Txokolina style, the Ameztoi rose features racy notes of wild strawberry, watermelon, pomegranate and citrus, centered around a tart, mouthwatering acidity and framed by a saline current redolent of the nearby Atlantic. |
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Winemaker: Ignacio Ameztoi |
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Price per bottle / Price per case: $27.99/302.30 |
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Suggested Food Pairing: Drink with high acid dishes to enhance the wine's fruit and liveliness; salty dishes will help enhance the wine’s body and weight on the palate. |
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