There aren’t many quality-focused rosés, but this is one of them
In most places, rosés are a way use up lower quality grapes. Not in Provence, where pink wine dominates production. The Beach by Whispering Angel is a quality example for a value price.
The Beach by Whispering Angel Rosé
Provence, France
$17.69 13% alcohol
PLCB Item #17316
Sale price through Aug. 3; regularly $18.69
Pink wines are made more or less everywhere wine grapes are grown, but they are typically not the winemaking focus: In most places, making rosé is a practical means to utilize grapes of marginal quality from younger vines or excess juice bled off from a red wine fermentation, helpfully concentrating what remains. That’s why most pink wines are cheap, cheerful summer tipples; very few are quality-oriented products, with the exception of those made in the Provence region of southern France like this one.
Provence was the birthplace of rosé wines in the 16th century due to quirks of its geography and culture. The region’s hot, dry, and windy Mediterranean climate favors black-skinned grapes that make dense, tannic wines when vinified the normal way into red wine. However, the cuisine of Provence is coastal and dominated by delicate fish and fresh vegetables that taste much better with subtle white wines served cold. Vintners adapted to this over time by treating their black grapes as if they were white — pressing their juice off the skins immediately after the harvest to make pale, seafood-friendly wines. Today, Provence is the only significant wine region on earth where rosé wines outnumber reds and whites, clocking in at roughly 90% of total production. As a result, everything in Provence — from harvest dates to winery equipment to each winemaker’s work history and expertise — is centered on making the best possible wine in a pale shade of pink.
The Beach is on the higher end of the rosé price scale but is actually a value-oriented cuvée made by one of the region’s most respected wineries, Château d’Esclans, whose Whispering Angel label has been popularized in the social feeds of the jet set. Where the pricier Whispering Angel has more palate weight, complexity, and can age longer in your cellar, The Beach puts more emphasis on brightness of fruit, brisk refreshment, and living in the moment. The wine is quite dry and understated with delicate flavors reminiscent of a fresh lemonade tinted pink with a splash of rose hip or hibiscus tea. It partners brilliantly with summer salads, heirloom tomatoes, and seafood of all stripes.
Also available at:
Canal’s in Mt. Ephraim, $13.99
Canal’s Liquors in Pennsauken, $14.09
Canal’s of Berlin Discount Liquor Mart in Berlin, $14.99