Decline in rosé availability?

[wdonovan]

Anyone here in US noticed a drop in the choices for dry European rosés? A few years back it looked like it was an upcoming trend but now, from the shelves in my local stores, it seems like the fuse has fizzled out. Aside from the exponentially increasing Provencals I could choose Spanish tempranillos, a few Itailian offerings, pink Burgs and other southeastern French PNs. I'm left with bare minimum of choices including P45, Guidal, and a couple equally as bad others, all well over-macerated IMO.

We don't really drink any still whites and rosés were our pairing for many lighter foods (and Champagne of course). I used to stock 5 or 6 cases at the end of each summer. Luckily for us we have rediscovered Processo which we have essentially replaced our rosé consumption with. Does anyone else notice this trend or even care?

[hotwine]

Have noticed the same in this area. Had a nice one from Marques de Caceras a couple of weeks ago but even that's in short supply. Doesn't seem to be much demand.

[Kcwhippet]

That's interesting, because just two years ago we only carried 3 or 4 roses. Now we have twenty or so from all over - domestic, France, Spain, South Africa, Germany and a few others. When we decided to become serious about roses, so did the folks coming in looking for them.

[wdonovan]

Maybe the interest (and supply) travel in waves and my area was at the early end. Stores stocking up in anticipation of a fad then trimming back after seeing a yawn.

[wondersofwine]

I have a couple Sancerre Pinot Noir rose' bottles and will open them during July. I haven't seen much Tavel or Spanish or Italian rose' around and had to seek out the Sancerre. I tried to pick up a Cremant d'Alsace sparkling rose' last weekend but the shop was sold out. Carolina Wine Company used to carry a variety of French roses but they filed for bankruptcy recently.

[wdonovan]

wow- you had the Cremant d'Alsace b4? Im gonna go out on a limb and guess its PN? Think that's a popular grape there. I like PN kept on skins then made to sparkle. Something magical about it. Maybe the lightness and finesse of the grape itself. Kinda gets lost when skinned alive and dumped into a vat of BdN.

[dananne]

Pickings in Atlanta seem slimmer this summer, too. While the last few years it was relatively easy to find interesting, smaller-producer rose wines, this year you tend to only see the large, mass-produced stuff. So, we're still getting, say, the Guigal CdR rose or the Muga rose, but all the smaller stuff you find is leftover stuff from '05, '06 -- even some '04 roses left. Perhaps it's a supply and demand thing -- in this economy, maybe selling little-known dry roses is more difficult, so they've stopped bringing them into this market. Glad to hear Bob's store is still carrying stuff. It's hard to educate the American public on dry rose when there are few available.

[VouvrayHead]

I've noticed a lot of old stuff marked way down. I think stores overbought in the last couple of years, thinking the trend would catch on more than it did, and now the pendulum is swinging back.

It's unfortnuate...

That said, the 07 Artazurri rose is $6 a bottle locally. I'm ok with that!

[Thomas]

wdonovan,

Depending on where I shop in my region of NY, I can find many European roses or I can find few.

What's on the shelves often has to do with who does the buying for the store.

One store in Ithaca offers a number of Greek roses, along with all the others.

[This message has been edited by foodie (edited 07-01-2009).]

[Innkeeper]

The only Rose' True Love will drink is a Cerasuolo. Unfortunately they don't sell any around here, and the only one that Roberto carries is waiting for the next vintage.

[wondersofwine]

The Lucien Albrecht Cremant d'Alsace Brut Rose' is indeed 100% Pinot Noir grapes.

From Slashfood website:
"Lucien Albrecht Crémant D'Alsace Brut Rosé is 12% abv. and is from Alsace, France on the German border. It is made out of 100% Pinot Noir grapes. Most people don't know it, but Alsace does grow a small amount of pinot noir grapes. The winery was established in 1425, although it is the current generation who has perfected their cremant (French non-champagne sparkling wine) methode champenoise.

This wine is a pale rose pink with a coppery tinge and a fine and plentiful cascade of tiny bubbles. The aroma is light with floral notes and a hint of fruit. This wine is crisp and elegant, dry, with touches of various fruit, especially cranberries and strawberries to it.

Lucien Albrecht Crémant D'Alsace Brut Rosé shows why rosé sparkling wines are becoming so popular the past few years. It's a great price for a lovely wine chock full of bubbles that can be drunk alone before or after dinner, as well as pairing well with any foods that would match a dry, light, white or rosé wine."

I have had the Lucien Albrecht before from a shop in DC but the Raleigh store sold out their supply this summer. I do have two Bugey Cerdon sparkling wines but I'm saving them for a fall fundraiser at church.