bottles of pink wine
It just made sense. And because everyone involved is an adult, we moved Rosé Fest to happen on National Rosé Day, June 10.
It's back in the nicest riverside park you never knew was so 'gramtastic, Kellogg Park in St. Paul, and the fest promises a whole host of wines so that you can spend the day with one mission: drink pink.
Solo Vino's Chuck Kanski, who's been running the rosé tent tasting party for decades, has made his picks for this year's fest. Following is a rundown of the 8 wines you will be able to sip with your basic GA ticket. If you want to level up to the VIP, you'll get access to 10 more! Either way, this is one of those days you'll be able to road test some wine which might live on your patio for the next three months. Here's the official Kanski Take on these wines:
Jacourette 2021// One of our three Provençal French rosés. This is a Cotes de Provence, so it's from the AOC region of Provence, which is important because that's where it all began: 95 percent of the products produced in Provence for wine is rosé. This one is super refreshing, big acidity, crisp and fresh.
La Vielle Ferme 2022 // I mean, this is an iconic rosé. I love it for its balance and versatility. It's been in our market, as far as I'm aware, for at least three decades. I love the fact that we are going to have that in a keg. I love the fact that we're going to have that product to sell in box. You know, and that's kind of a big deal, you have to remember, you cannot bring glass to state or federal parks.
Hampton Water 2021 // This is something that I am really excited to share, because I was not aware that Hampton Water just happens to be from one of my favorite bands from the '80s. There's a little Jon Bon Jovi action with this wine. But, it is also really good. Honest to god, it is a crushable rosé from the South of France made with Grenache blended with Cinsault, Mourvedre, and Syrah. It's all they make, one wine.
Pratsch 2021 // Now we go to Austria and absolutely one of my favorite rosés seasonally. If you look at the color of all of them, there's a singular difference with the process which sometimes adds a bit white grape to bring citric notes, but this has almost a neon electric kind of hue to it. This one is made with certified organic grapes, and the berry flavors are backed with that fresh acidity.
Mulderbosch 2021 // So now to South Africa, and this is one of my first loves in labels when we opened over two decades ago. We were huge, huge Mulderbosch supporters. This one is a Cabernet Sauvignon rosé, which they make from grapes planted specifically to be farmed in a certain way for this wine.
Toad Hollow 2021 // Now back to the backyard of California. It's exactly what you want, a Sonoma County Pinot Noir grape, no white to cut it. Just add sun and mix. You get a little rose petal, then it's just balanced juicy fruit.
New Age // This is just a dynamite, dynamite little wine from Argentina. It's beautiful and even though it says sweet wine on that front label, I'm fine with that. Because there's a moment for everybody. Sometimes there's a need for something with a little juice to it, a little fruit. When we go into the summer season grilling something spicy, maybe a little Tex-Mex, or Thai food, you turn the heat down by throwing fruit at it. It's juicy.
Santa Margherita 2021 // A perennial Pino Grigio producer from the Veneto region in Italy, this is a nice wine. The great thing about this vineyard is that they work really hard at crafting. I was really blown away by this wine, to be honest. I wasn't familiar with their rosé, but it is absolutely right in lock and step with some of the Provençal we know very well. It's worth the premium price tag.
As for what to expect in the VIP buckets: We are going to have a few sparklings, but mostly we are just trying to cover the globe. We don't want to go too obscure, but we have a tendency to be more supportive of the small independent houses because that's what we are.
See you June 10?
