Elizabeth Gabay MW Thoughts

Question 1

What is rosé?

Answer 1

Blending is allowed in some appellations:
Tavel
Champagne

No legal definition of rosé! Philosophical definition.

Generally… does not complete fermentation on skin.

Question 2

Mainstream rosé?

Answer 2

1. Lighter colour
2. Fresh acidity
3. Juicy fruit
4. Low or no tannin
5. Medium to low ABV
6. Reductive winemaking
7. Sell year after production

80% of worlds rosé

Question 3

Rose does Terroir matter?

Answer 3

Provence believed consumers don’t care. A lot has been done to hide terroir as they blend to achieve certain colour.
Some now are looking at different areas to showcase difference (category in its infancy).

Tavel is the most terroir significant as they start bottling single vineyards (mostly they blend).

Question 4

Varieties for rosé

Answer 4

White varieties
Why?
Fresh acidity.
Pale down colour.
Rules (Provence 20% of what is planted can be white).
Bandol does not allow whites.
Languedoc allow.
Many Spanish DOs allow.

New Zealand is only 10% red.

White wine ages differently than red.

Grenache.
Gerard Bertrand feels it’s the only grape that makes good rose.
Has good sugar early to harvest with enough acidity.

Question 5

Varieties Rose

Answer 5

Elizabeth Gabay

Question 6

Grenache

Answer 6

Good sugar early with decent acid

Gerard Bertrand likes

Oxidizes quickly and can be more orange hue

Question 7

Cinsault

Answer 7

Pale
Floral
Low sugar levels
Delicate (less structure)
Needs other to blend
Gerard B Clos de Temple is 45%

Question 8

Sangiovese??

Answer 8

Good acid
Mineral character
Freshness
Good potential to be a classy grape

Question 9

Zinfandel

Question 10

Cabernets

Answer 10

Leafy
Must allow fruit to shine through

Question 11

Mourvedres and Syrah are reductive varieties

Answer 11

Syrah ends up jammy

Question 12

Tempranillo

Answer 12

Spicy

Question 13

Cabernet D’Anjou

Question 14

Gris varieties

Answer 14

Very pale

Question 15

Aromatic varieties

Answer 15

Muscats