Five Stunning Rosés From the 2017 Fete de Rosé!

BEST OF THE FEST: MUST HAVE ROSÉS FOR SUMMER!

“Another Fête de Rosé is in the books and we’re highlighting five of our favorites! I am particularly enchanted by the 2016 Lucien Crochet Sancerre Pinot Noir Rosé which was one of the top wines of the Fest! It is simply one of the most delicious, luscious and vibrant rosés around! With its gorgeous salmon-pink color, fruit-rich nose (berries, cherries, citrus, watermelon), a kiss of minerality, and bracing acidity, this classic rosé will keep you coming back for more. This rosé, made from 100% Pinot Noir, is consistently brilliant and comes from a highly regarded producer with a rich history of family winemaking.

Summer is officially here and ‘tis the season for rosé. Check out the Best of the Fest!” -Jim Knight, The Wine House

Importer’s Notes: Made exclusively of Pinot Noir harvested from several parcels … a mix of Oxfordian “caillottes” and Kimmeridgian “marne”. This Rosé is made using the direct press method with the whole berries entering the pressoir. The musts ferment in temperature-controlled cuves (85%) as well as a small percentage in older barrels (15%). The fermentation occurs over three weeks. The wines is bottled in the spring of the following year.

Lucien Crochet has long been a standout in our stable of classic rosés, and this 2016 is shaping up to be among the finest vintages we’ve yet encountered. Gilles produces this wine from younger Pinot Noir vines in the “La Croix du Roy” vineyard, reserving those vines over 25 years of age for his exemplary Sancerre Rouge. Made via direct pressing with no maceration, it offers a similarly chiseled limestone character as Crochet’s white wines, but with fruit pitched toward the vibrant-red zone of the spectrum. While 2016 was a challenging growing season in many parts of northern France, Crochet was fortunate to have harvested decent quantities of very healthy grapes. Compared to the rich, broad-shouldered 2015, this 2016 is similarly dense and concentrated, but with more vibrant acidity and a more energetic personality. It’s delicious even now (Gilles will bottle it in April), and it’s sure to develop beautifully with age–as it has done many vintages before. (February 2017)

“Both of my grandfathers, André Crochet and Lucien Picard, were winegrowers. In fact, in the early 1950s, Lucien Picard was one of the pioneers of bottling Sancerre wines in the region to be able to sell them in Paris. My father, Lucien Crochet, merged the two estates together. He developed relationships with the finest restaurants in Paris and it was only natural for the export markets to follow. Today, my wife Laurence, who is also the daughter of a Sancerre grower, and I oversee the estate while adding our own approach and sensitivity.” -Lucien Crochet, Winemaker

“A winding road meandering alongside the slopes of the ‘Costières’ leads you to the Chateau Mourgues du Gres, in the midst of orchards and garrigue. This former estate belonged to the Convent of the Ursulines before the French Revolution. In Provence, ‘Nuns’ is ‘Mourgues’ and ‘Grès’ is ‘Pebbles’. In the courtyard is a sundial with the motto ‘Sine Sole Nihil’ (Nothing Without Sun) meaning that the sun ripens the grape to optimal maturity to produce balanced wines.” -François Collard, Winemaker, Chateau Mourgues du Gres

Tasting Notes: Bright salmon pink hue; aromas include watermelon rind, grapefruit, lemon blossom, Satsuma orange. In the mouth- bright, moderate acidity that hits up front and carries through to the back, then leads to a round, enjoyable finish. Some flavors that appear are tart cherry, strawberry, Meyer lemon and Granny Smith apples.

As the name, “all together”, suggests, Copain’s Tous Ensemble series offers a perfect complement to any gathering, from a casual meal to an impromptu party. Approachable, balanced and ready to drink, these wines pair beautifully with almost any food, any day of the week. Tous Ensemble wines reflect a classic blend of fruit sourced from select vineyards throughout Mendocino County.