This week at the SAQ #18

At the beginning of June, a press tasting took place for the rosé wines that will hit SAQ shelves in the coming weeks.

I took part in the game with joy, as I have always had a soft spot for this category, with which, I must admit, I am more lenient.

I can confirm that after having intensely (two hours) and rigorously (I spat everything out) gone through 52 rosés, I am still fond of the category. However, I remain just as critical and demanding about what I like to find in my glass.

Thus, after more than fifty different wines from 10 countries, with a strong concentration of products from Provence and its neighboring regions, we can see that too many winemakers tend to create a pale copy of the classic Provençal rosé.

But in the end, what is classic Provençal rosé?

Whether it be for Provence rosés or any other wine, the aficionado and sommelier in me will look for three common denominators, inspired by a meeting with Envinate earlier this season.

Envinate’s mission is to craft wines that have:

1. Personality, dictated by the terroir and the type of grape variety planted,

2. Character, which is created annually according to the whims of the weather; this is the vintage effect,

3. A soul, which is the winemaker’s touch; it must be present and in symbiosis without, however, taking precedence over the first two components,

I like tasting wines that are crafted with this philosophy. That said, I am not naive, and I know that the world of wine is vast and that there must be something for every taste and budget.

People often tend to accuse sommeliers of elitizing wines. That is not a perception I promote. On the contrary, I have a blast rediscovering less expensive, more commercial wines produced in high volume. Without lowering my expectations too much, I try to detect a presence of personality, a hint of character, or even a soul, and if it is there, I do not hesitate to talk about it.

It is with these thoughts in mind that I try to present to you the best of this summer 2024 rosé selection!

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In the low-priced wine category, I was not disappointed to retaste the Grain de Gris de Listel 2023, with a bit more character and less dilution than in past years. The Grain de Gris is not a wine I buy, but rather a wine that I systematically taste every year at a family pool party. It often leaves me indifferent, but it will be more enjoyable this season. Available in bottles and 3 L formats.

For those who follow our various editorial channels, you know that I am not a fan of Sauvignon Blanc, but I do enjoy being surprised by this grape variety. I took pleasure in discovering the grey zone of François Lurton's Fumées Blanches. A specialist in brand diversification, there is enough material for an MBA case study on François Lurton and his Fumées Blanches.

His Gris de Sauvignon, crafted with 70% Sauvignon Blanc and 30% Sauvignon Gris, particularly pleased me. More personality than the original white vintage, and for $0.35 less. It is also a wine that will appeal to people who are less into rosés and more into whites in general. Its best friends at the table will be asparagus, lobster, and shrimp.

Among all the other low-priced products, I had a crush on the Languedoc wine Cazal Viel Vieilles Vignes 2023, Laurent Miquel.

The Miquel family has been making wine near Saint-Chinian since 1791. The rosé is made from 70% Cinsault and 30% Syrah. The nose is lively, aromatic, and focused on stone fruits. On the palate, the wine is dry and contains the slight tannic and bitter structure one looks for in a rosé, reminiscent of orange peel. To be drunk without restraint by the pool while preparing dinner.

I should mention that fans of the Pive Rosé will notice a change in packaging for the 2023 vintage. This makeover, to borrow the French term, is linked to the change in status from Protected Geographical Indication (PGI) to Protected Designation of Origin (PDO) for Sable de Camargue. This change in status marks the qualitative recognition of a terroir, a battle led by artisans in the region, notably Brigitte Jeanjean, for 20 years. Inside the bottle, nothing is taken for granted, and the new vintage tastes wonderful, with an identical price to last year: $17.50.

The heart of this tasting was marked by many wines from Provence; the Love cuvée from Château Léoube was presented previously, and if you want to push your exploration of the region further, here are two other Provençal proposals.

Coteaux Varois en Provence 2023, Château La Lieue $19.85

Château La Lieue is "part of the furniture" at the SAQ, but tasting it again reminds us that it is not gathering dust. After five generations, the Vial family remains current in its processes. Certified organic since 1997, the estate systematically continues to produce a wine that has appeal and personality with an incredible quality-to-price-pleasure ratio. Out of 300 ha of property, 70 ha are dedicated to vines.

We are in the presence of an afternoon thirst-quencher! The nose is floral-leaning (honeysuckle) with subtle aromas of cantaloupe. On the palate, it is dry and fresh with an acidic finish.

Coteaux d’Aix en Provence ‘Les Béatines’ 2023, Les Béates $22.35

Domaine Les Béates is the first estate that the agency La QV represented in Quebec over 15 years ago. Their rosé is now an SAQ classic. With a certain texture, we move away from the pool and closer to the kitchen island. The higher proportion of Grenache (50%) and Syrah (30%), with the remaining 20% being Cinsault, brings a distinctive bouquet and structure to the palate. We find aromas of small red fruits, enhanced by bitterness reminiscent of orange peel and rhubarb.

Costières de Nîmes Les Galets 2023, Château Mourgues du Grès $20.10

Costîeres de Nîmes Fleur d’Églantine 2023, Château Mourgues du Grès $20.75

If I had to give an honorable mention in this post, it would be to the Les Galets cuvée from Château Mourgues du Grès.

The Costières de Nîmes, located at the edge of the Rhône and at the gates of Languedoc, generally offer an unbeatable quality-to-price-pleasure ratio across all wines.

Even after going through Provençal rosés and low-priced wines in the tasting order, my nose was charmed by these Galets. Enticing, exuberant, and complex scents, where fruity, floral, and spicy notes express themselves. On the palate, there is substance; in the winemaker’s jargon, we would call this a rosé that "has wine"! Thanks to the Collard family for not just reserving a land of rounded pebbles for making red or white wine! The Fleur d’Églantine cuvée also deserves a mention; it is reminiscent of the softer style of rosé found in Provence.

Rioja 2023, Conde de Valdemar

Here is a superb discovery. Crafted with respect for the terroir, this is a product with personality!

Here, the blend of Grenache and Mazuelo (Carignan) from Rioja offers a unique narrative thread. If we had tasted this product in a blind tasting glass, we might have been mistaken and confused it for a red wine.

It is more "vinous," and on the palate, there is a subtle tannic structure that calls for food. This is the opportunity to bring out white meats to grill, and even lamb chops.

I end this forum with a product that is obviously good and well-made, but also a precursor to a trend that is likely to grow in the coming years; I am talking about quality wines bottled in Quebec.

The multitude of barriers that our monopolistic market imposes on wines bottled in Quebec means that this market evolves slowly. For years, we enjoyed snubbing these "convenience store" wines...

But when the opportunity arises and the product is interesting, it should be prioritized, because more than 40% of the carbon footprint of a wine bottle is attributable to its container and transport. I might also add that too often, wines bottled in Quebec have packaging that leaves something to be desired, which does little to help their cause! This is also the case for this Sicilian wine, but we will forgive its visual marketing to focus on the contents.

Igp terre siciliane pastello 2023, odart & cie $14.95

Few details on the traceability of this product, but we are in the presence of a 100% Nerello Mascalese, certified organic—the great grape variety that reigns on the foothills of Mount Etna in Sicily and is capable of producing great reds with an elegance that can sometimes recall that of the great red wines of the Côte d’Or in Burgundy. Also planted across the island, we are here more in the presence of a rosé with aromas of strawberry, apple, pomegranate, and peach. On the palate, the wine is dry, the fruity character stands out but is supported by a beautiful spicy structure. This is a wine that will accompany you from the terrace to the table without any problem.

I wish you a beautiful summer and happy drinking!