Rosé trends webinar
With the continual rise in sales of rosé wine, it is a fast growing and exciting category, but much of the focus is on the cheaper end of the market with swimming pool and celebrity marketing campaigns dominating the scene. For this webinar I chose not to look at the market trends, nor the alternative, more ‘funky’ producers, but to five producers who have a big impact on the latest trends in mainstream production.
Gerard Bertrand in the Languedoc, has both his own domaines and a negociant business. His numerous rosés ve a major share of the market, ranging from entry level supermarket rosé to the most expensive rosé Clos du Temple. Bruno Mailliard works with Chateau la Gordonne in Pierrefeu-Provence and Domaine Royal de Jarras in the Camargue – both owned by Champagne Vranken Pommery, discussed developing the quality, a greater focus for premium rosés to reflect their terroir. Rosana Oliva, responsible for the flagship rosé of Ramon Bilbao in Rioja, ‘Lalomba’, gave a detailed account of the work she has done on site selection, altitude, climate and fermentation vessels. Dimitris Skouras of Domaine Skouras echoed her work with their Peplo rosé, grown at altitude with a blend of grapes and different fermentation vessels, a radically different approach to the majority of Greek rosé. Nathalie Estribeau, the chief winemaker at Les Vignerons de Foncalieu, a co-operative in the Languedoc discussed how she makes a successful range of different rosés, from entry to mid market level, through varieties and vinification.
For all, the emphasis continued to be with a lighter colour rosé but with a growing emphasis on terroir and ageing potential. Trends for higher quality rosé pointed to organic and biodynamic and greater work in the vineyard, lower yields, altitude and specific terroirs, and exploration in fermentation techniques from amphora, acacia barrels, oak, cement tanks and classic tank.