The new proposals are no threat to quality rosés like this one from Jean-François Mériau The reaction to the EU rosé proposals appears to becoming even more hysterical and ill informed. On Hervé Lalau’s Chroniques Vineuses there are two recent posts. The first is an open letter to Mariann Fischer-Boel from the l'Assemblée des Régions Européennes Viticoles (AREV). One has to wonder from its tone whether this superheated and decidedly hysterical letter was composed by AREV’s distinguished delegates after a good and copious lunch where testing the quality of their rosés had been perhaps a tad over-enthusiastic.
The other post points out that it is not the EU that is pushing to bring the Europe wine regulations in line with the OIV (The International Organisation of Vine and Wine) but the French Government keen to modernise its wine industry. This explains why back on 27th January 2009 the French minister of agriculture voted for the proposals.
Over the years it has become abundantly clear that one of the biggest threats to the French wine industry is from certain elements within the industry itself. The campaign by the rosé producers is a classic example. The campaign is fuelled by emotion and very short on facts. Another example of a segment of the French wine industry throwing their toys out of the window while their coach hurtles over the cliff.
Nowhere have I seen the rosé producers explain why blending red and white wine together if Champagne producers have long used this method. No explanation as to what is the difference between blending red and white grapes to make rosé as is permitted in the Côtes de Provence – they are allowed four: Clairette, Sémillon, Ugni Blanc and Vermentino?
From the décret (law) that sets out the criteria for Rosé de Provence:
INAO
Décret n° 2009-356 du 30 mars 2009 relatif à l'appellation d'origine contrôlée « Côtes de Provence »
1° Encépagement :
a) Les vins rouges et rosés sont issus des cépages suivants :
Cépages principaux : cinsaut N, grenache N, mourvèdre N, syrah N, tibouren N ;
Cépages accessoires : cabernet sauvignon N, carignan N, clairette B, semillon B, ugni blanc B, vermentino B.
Furthermore the regulations insist that if using white grapes to make rosé they should be vinified separately and not mixed in with the red ones:
From the décret (I have made the salient phrase in bold):
'b) Assemblage des cépages :
Les vins rouges et rosés proviennent de l'assemblage de raisins, de vins en cours de fermentation ou de vins, à l'exception des vins issus des cépages blancs lorsque ceux-ci sont vinifiés séparément, issus de deux au moins des cépages prévus dans l'encépagement, dont au moins un des cépages principaux. La proportion de l'ensemble des cépages principaux ne peut être inférieure à 50 % de l'assemblage.'
Nor have the rosé producers explained that there won’t be any change to appellation laws under these new proposals, so appellation rosés will continue to be made as before.
Unfortunately La Nouvelle République’s bloggers (here and here) have also been infected by this virulent rosé wine flu. gilbert 18 claims that if the blending of red and white wines to make rosé is permitted then the rosés of the Loire’s Central Vineyards will disappear: 'Alors, adieu nos rosés du Berry, nos gris gouleyants, nos Sancerre, Menetou, Châteaumeillant, Quincy, Reuilly ?
Pour accompagner la mal bouffe, le mal boire ?' *
Utter nonsense, of course. These rosés are not under threat at all. The only possible threat is if the price is too high for the quality in the bottle. This is already the case for a number of Sancerre rosés. However, despite this they continue to sell well. As for Quincy rosé it doesn’t exist – AC Quincy covers only whites made from Sauvignon Blanc.
I have posted a response on the NR blog this morning and another person has also posted a comment in support of the proposals.)
The use of the word 'mélange' is pejorative as it means throwing things together without thought. I imagine that all of the rosés made by mixing red and white wine are a careful and deliberate blend – ‘assemblage’ in French.
* Despite this unfortunate rush of blood to the head gilbert 18 (Jean-Pierre Gilbert) does have an interesting blog about the Berry.
The other post points out that it is not the EU that is pushing to bring the Europe wine regulations in line with the OIV (The International Organisation of Vine and Wine) but the French Government keen to modernise its wine industry. This explains why back on 27th January 2009 the French minister of agriculture voted for the proposals.
Over the years it has become abundantly clear that one of the biggest threats to the French wine industry is from certain elements within the industry itself. The campaign by the rosé producers is a classic example. The campaign is fuelled by emotion and very short on facts. Another example of a segment of the French wine industry throwing their toys out of the window while their coach hurtles over the cliff.
Nowhere have I seen the rosé producers explain why blending red and white wine together if Champagne producers have long used this method. No explanation as to what is the difference between blending red and white grapes to make rosé as is permitted in the Côtes de Provence – they are allowed four: Clairette, Sémillon, Ugni Blanc and Vermentino?
From the décret (law) that sets out the criteria for Rosé de Provence:
INAO
Décret n° 2009-356 du 30 mars 2009 relatif à l'appellation d'origine contrôlée « Côtes de Provence »
1° Encépagement :
a) Les vins rouges et rosés sont issus des cépages suivants :
Cépages principaux : cinsaut N, grenache N, mourvèdre N, syrah N, tibouren N ;
Cépages accessoires : cabernet sauvignon N, carignan N, clairette B, semillon B, ugni blanc B, vermentino B.
Furthermore the regulations insist that if using white grapes to make rosé they should be vinified separately and not mixed in with the red ones:
From the décret (I have made the salient phrase in bold):
'b) Assemblage des cépages :
Les vins rouges et rosés proviennent de l'assemblage de raisins, de vins en cours de fermentation ou de vins, à l'exception des vins issus des cépages blancs lorsque ceux-ci sont vinifiés séparément, issus de deux au moins des cépages prévus dans l'encépagement, dont au moins un des cépages principaux. La proportion de l'ensemble des cépages principaux ne peut être inférieure à 50 % de l'assemblage.'
Nor have the rosé producers explained that there won’t be any change to appellation laws under these new proposals, so appellation rosés will continue to be made as before.
•••
Unfortunately La Nouvelle République’s bloggers (here and here) have also been infected by this virulent rosé wine flu. gilbert 18 claims that if the blending of red and white wines to make rosé is permitted then the rosés of the Loire’s Central Vineyards will disappear: 'Alors, adieu nos rosés du Berry, nos gris gouleyants, nos Sancerre, Menetou, Châteaumeillant, Quincy, Reuilly ?
Pour accompagner la mal bouffe, le mal boire ?' *
Utter nonsense, of course. These rosés are not under threat at all. The only possible threat is if the price is too high for the quality in the bottle. This is already the case for a number of Sancerre rosés. However, despite this they continue to sell well. As for Quincy rosé it doesn’t exist – AC Quincy covers only whites made from Sauvignon Blanc.
I have posted a response on the NR blog this morning and another person has also posted a comment in support of the proposals.)
The use of the word 'mélange' is pejorative as it means throwing things together without thought. I imagine that all of the rosés made by mixing red and white wine are a careful and deliberate blend – ‘assemblage’ in French.
* Despite this unfortunate rush of blood to the head gilbert 18 (Jean-Pierre Gilbert) does have an interesting blog about the Berry.
