Good morning all,
Simon’s Wine of the Week is Parlez Vous Rosé
I tried this for the first-time last night at a tasting with a bunch of customers in Highgate and I have to say I was very much impressed. Whilst this might not be the most exciting rose in the range it more than makes up for it by how much fruit it packs in.
It comes the Loire Valley in France and is made from the Cabernet Franc grape. Up here by the banks of France’s longest river Cab Franc makes some of France’s best kept secret red wines. I say ‘best kept secret’ but that only counts for us over here in the UK. Go to any Parisian wine bar and have a look at the drinks list and I guarantee you’ll see a Chinon, a Bourgueil, or a Saumur-Champigny, all red wines made from Cab Franc in the Loire.
As a grape it is most famous for being one of the parent grapes of Cabernet Sauvignon (the other one is, you’ve guessed it, Sauvignon Blanc). It differs from its offspring mainly by having a thinner skin and larger berries. This means that wines made from Cab Franc have less colour, less tannin, and less body than Cab Sauv, but share a similar flavour profile.
As a rose it has made a wine that I really liked. It’s a pale salmon colour in the glass. Quite intense on the nose with classic strawberry and cream notes, which are supported by more fleshy peach and apricot. The palate is dry but there’s quite a bit of fruit, so the crisp acidity never gets too much. The strawberry and cream is still there, plus the stone fruit but there’s some nice raspberry and cranberry notes as well.
Bottles at 12% it’s a perfect aperitif drink, but would pair perfectly with seafood, lighter salads or a lighter rice dish.
Have a great week all,
Simon
