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Issue link: https://read.dmtmag.com/i/685968
www.cheersonline.com 27 June 2016 • NO WAY, BROSÉ Campbell had heard about the notion that men were getting together and calling themselves brosés. "I thought, that can't be a real thing, and almost as the thoughts occurred to me, four guys came in to the bar and said 'Hey, we're brosés!'" Whether many male customers are self- identifying as brosés or not, it's only one sign of the recent pink bloom. Rosé wine exports from Provence—the key exporter of pink to the U.S.— grew 58% by volume and 74% by value in 2015, according to the French customs agency and the CIVP/Vins de Provence trade group. The rise marks the largest increase in Provence rosé wine exports to the U.S. since 2001, as well as the 12th consecutive year of double-digit growth for the segment. According to Nielsen data, imported rosé priced at $12 or more per bottle nearly grew as much, up more than 56% by volume and 60% by value last year. Provence rosé currently accounts for more than 40% of French rosé sold in the U.S., and about 30% of imported rosé. Many bars and restaurants have taken note of the shift to pink and are increasing the number of wines carried and bumping up their order volume. They're also looking outside the classic rosé realm to other regions such as Greece and Portugal, and strategizing how to make their suddenly limited allocations last through to the end of summer and beyond. FAIR-WEATHER FUN A welcome sign of the warm weather, rosés are in fashion for pairing well with lighter and Mediterranean cuisine. They're generally all-around popular with sommeliers and wine directors for their food friendliness. "For some reason, rosé has such a thirst- quenching quality more than many white wines," says Charles Ford, general manager/beverage director of The Bristol New American restaurant in Chicago. "Maybe because it's usually served just cold enough so the alcohol doesn't make as much of an impact, and one can drink more, but there is something about it that no other bottle of wine will do that well." ROSÉ OF THE DAY The weather, of course, is the most signifi cant stimulant for rosé sales. The Bristol features seven or more sparkling rosés and eight still varieties from France, Corsica, Italy, Sicily, Spain and Lebanon. "When springtime comes around, it's all about rosé. And not just the usual French rosés, but beautiful pinot noir rosés as well," Ford says. "I love to buy the vintage that's a year old vs. the freshest option," he adds. "The fl avors and components have had a little time to meld together and become more harmonious." Campbell, who oversees Ceia Kitchen + Bar (where she encountered the pack of brosés), as well as Brine in Newburyport and the soon-to- open Oak + Rowan in Boston, sells about 100 cases of rosé in the summer selling season. She rotates through various types of rosés: French, Spanish, Italian, domestic and some lesser- known selections from Greece and Portugal, among other regions. Each restaurant offers a glass pour "Rosé of the Day" that changes throughout the course of the summer, as well as rosé cocktails. "The nice thing about having a variety of rosés is they vary so much on the spectrum," Campbell says. "You can have them bone dry with lots of minerality, which might appeal to the pinot grigio drinker, or you'll get bright red fruits and strawberry fl avors at the other end for those looking for something richer and chardonnay-like." Catalyst restaurant in Cambridge, MA, currently offers at least fi ve rosés on the menu, with the list expanding throughout the summer. Once the weather warms, Catalyst, too, initiates a "Rosé of the Day" with a different wine by the glass. The program began in April this year and will expand to include other wines as they arrive. The outdoor dining season gives Catalyst's rosé sales a www.cheersonline.com were getting together and calling themselves brosés. "I thought, that can't be a real thing, and almost as the thoughts occurred to me, four guys came in to the bar and said 'Hey, we're brosés!'" Whether many male customers are self- identifying as brosés or not, it's only one sign of the recent pink bloom. Rosé wine exports from Provence—the key exporter of pink to the U.S.— grew 58% by volume and 74% by value in 2015, according to the French customs agency and the CIVP/Vins de Provence trade group. The rise marks the largest increase in Provence rosé wine exports to the U.S. since 2001, as well as the 12th consecutive year of double-digit growth for the segment. According to Nielsen data, imported rosé priced at $12 or more per bottle nearly grew as much, up more than 56% by volume and 60% by value last year. Provence rosé currently accounts for more than 40% of French rosé sold in the U.S., and about 30% of imported rosé. Many bars and restaurants have taken note of the shift to pink and are increasing the number of wines carried and bumping up their order volume. They're also looking outside the classic rosé realm to other regions such as Greece and Portugal, and strategizing how to make their suddenly limited allocations last through to the end of summer and beyond. FAIR-WEATHER FUN A welcome sign of the warm weather, rosés are in fashion for pairing well with lighter and Mediterranean cuisine. They're generally all-around popular with sommeliers and ROSÉ WINE EXPORTS FROM PROVENCE grew 58% by volume