Friday Tasting Preview #4: Pretty Sancerre Rose from Andre Neveu

It may be just a little predictable, but I can never resist a drop of something pink at Valentine's day.  Surely this is the one day of the year when a little bit of kitsch is allowed?  I'm a dedicated dry rosé man though - noneof your "white" zindfandel here please - so this wine from the Loire valley should be right up my street.

Don't believe my tasting note?  Join me at  tonight's free Mini-Tasting  from 5pm to taste it for yourself.
 

Andre Neveu, Sancerre Rosé, 'Le Grand Fricambault' 2009  £16
Most people imagine Sancerre to be an exclusively white wine producing area, but the reds and rosés from these vineyards can be equally successful.  Indeed, the area was a flourishing Pinot Noir district in the 19th century and this is the grape that is now uses to make both styles of wine.
This single vineyard wine, made by the fifth generation of winemakers at family-owned Andre Neveu, is made using the 'saignée' method, which involves bleeding some wine from red wine fermentation vats after only a few hours contact with the skins and is the method used for nearly all rosé (with the exception of some champagnes).

This wine is all about texture and persistence.  A charming salmon pink colour, it has a subtle nose with roses, strawberries and redcurrants on the palate but it's the mouthfeel that's really impressive.  Bone dry, it manages to combine taut acidity with a rounded, full mid-palate and finishes with a burst of redcurrant fruits which seem to stay in the mouth forever afterwards.

Tecchie Stuff: 100% Pinot Noir from the Grand Fricambault, made using saignée method and rested in stainless steel tanks.