The New Wine Review Weekly: May 26, 2024

SERIOUS ROSÉ FOR SUMMER AND BEYOND

Admirably, NWR’s Jason Wilson and Sarah Parker Jang just come right out and say it:

• “If we’re being completely honest, most dry rosé is . . . fine. It’s refreshing. Inoffensive. There may not be a lot of great rosé, but there’s also not a lot of terrible rosé. Of all the wines, rosé is the most consistently average.”

Man. Put that last line on a t-shirt. But never fear: you can avoid the ceaseless averageness of rosé—you just need to know what to look for.

• “There are delicious characterful roses out there. And they’re not impossible to find: For starters, they’re made from grapes that lend more body, along with sapidity or a savory quality. Think grapes like Cabernet Franc, Mourvèdre, Syrah, Nebbiolo, or Carignan. Look for appellations such as Tavel, Bandol, Bourgueil, and Chinon.”

• “Many are made from old vines that produce lower yields with greater concentration of flavor. They often see a period of extended maceration, which means riper grapes and some phenolic extraction. Some of these rosés see added complexity from oak aging (and they’re made from fruit that can withstand oak). These rosés show flavors and aromas beyond simple fruit and flowers. They don’t simply take a back seat to food, but truly sing when they’re part of a meal.”

Jason and Sarah came up with 14 wines to recommend that aren’t just “fantastic for rosé.” They’re fantastic, period. Check out their full list here.

BEACH WHISKEY. YES. WE’RE SERIOUS.

Perhaps the above shot of the waterside Ardberg distillery is as close as you come to associating whisky or bourbon with the beach.

So let NWR’s Whiskey Editor Susannah Skiver Barton change your mind, as she changed ours—and accept that Beach Whiskey is indeed A Thing:

• “For starters, it’s got to go with sunscreen and salt water—meaning that it shouldn’t be too serious. Leave your limited-edition single barrels and hefty sherry bombs and the bottles that you want to ponder and take notes on at home, along with the really expensive stuff. Beach whiskey is best sipped lazily, with little to no thought, as your cares slip away with the tide.”

• “Given the location and climate, beach whiskey is ideal for add-ons, like ice or mixers. (More on that below.) But if you insist on sipping neat, go low proof . . . And, of course, take it easy, and hydrate generously alongside every pour.”

Her recommendations for bourbons, whiskeys and Indian whiskies are all here. And don’t miss her mixer recommendations, including one that we haven’t stopped thinking about since we read about it and can’t wait to try this summer.

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CAN YOU REALLY PUT A LABEL ON NATURAL WINE?

What, you expected natural winemakers to just fall in line?

France’s Vin Méthode Nature label—which represents an official stamp of governmental approval that a French wine is in fact a natural wine—is showing up on more and more bottles these days, writes Renske De Maesschalck:

• “There are 714 cuvées that use the Vin Méthode Nature label, according to the latest report of the Syndicat de Défense des Vins Naturels in March 2024. Of those 714 bottlings, 64 percent use the no-sulfites logo. To put this into greater perspective, in 2021, a year after the launch of the label, only 170 cuvées sported the label.”

That’s not nothing. Except, as she points out, there are a lot of natural winemakers in France—more than 1400, according to the Raisin app, and it’s safe to say that the vast majority of them produce multiple cuvées—and anyone familiar with the gloriously unruly ranks of natural winemakers won’t be surprised to hear that some don’t want any part of this. As one told her, “It isn’t proof of a good terroir wine. The hassle isn’t worth it, and our buyers know how we work.”

Her fascinating in-depth analysis of the dynamics within the French natural wine world around the Vin Méthode Nature label, and the issues some have with its criteria, can be found here.

WHAT YOU’RE MISSING IN OUR SUBSCRIBERS-ONLY SLACK COMMUNITY

• When your aged California Pinot suddenly starts tasting like . . . grape ale?

• A surprising Syrah showdown: Old-school Saint-Joseph vs. new-school Yarra Valley.

• And all the answers to the question of the week: what’s the most underrated wine region?

WINE DEAL OF THE WEEK*

Sicily’s Frank Cornelissen, who moved to Mount Etna to work its crumbly volcanic terroir, has long been a polarizing winemaker. But we’ve loved his wines, which over time he’s refined and made increasingly precise. His almost-rosé Susucaru is inextricably linked—for us, at least— with the arrival of summer, and the 2022 vintage is available here for just under $27.

AROUND THE WINE (AND WHISKEY) WORLD

🦴 The things you find when you renovate an old wine cellar.

🥃 Dude got a little obsessed with Blanton’s.

💰This article is likely the closest that any of us will get. (paywalled)

👊 The wine world’s PR counteroffensive begins.

As always, thanks for reading! See you next week for much more.

Santé!

The NWR Editors

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