In partnership with Serendipity, the following wines are available in the Texas & California markets.
It’s that time of year again: sommeliers and industry insiders are already looking ahead to warmer months, diligently securing the perfect rosé wines for summer. While winter might seem an unlikely time to focus on rosé, seasoned professionals in the wine industry know that preparation is key to ensuring their lists are ready to dazzle patrons when patio weather returns. And after a year of tolerable but eyebrow-lifting market trends, the pink category has only become more competitive. How does a buyer ensure a stand-out, consistent rosé program that will fully deliver on quality, price and character?
We don’t have all of the answers, but we do, more precisely, have four. As a distributor hell-bent on seeing our customers succeed, we drew up our top picks to achieve just that. From soft bubbles in Basque Country to a hidden gem in Liguria, to steak-ready French rosé and sustainable Vinho Verde— these are four core rosés primed for a 2024 program that’s utterly pretty in pink.
Basa Lore Txakoli Rosé
Pais Vasco, Spain
Located in the Basque region of Northeastern Spain, Basa Lore is a family-run winery with significant historical ties to the region. Together with five other wineries, the Angel family helped to establish the Getariako Txakolina D.O. Their love for old-school Txakoli celebrates the indigenous grapes that have been grown in the area since 1425— namely, Hondarrabi Zuri and Hondarrabi Beltza. Now in its 4th generation, Jose, Begoña and their daughter Nerea continue to produce minimal intervention, native-yeast fermented wines (without any sulfites added) that beautifully reflect their heritage. They’ll be the first to explain that these wines are 100% natural iterations of what their ancestors had been producing for ages.
Basa Lore Txakoli rosé is the kind of softly sparkling wine that you want to share with your best friend. It’s playful and bright, with notes of prickly pear, apricot, mint and just a touch of fizz. Try it with fresh seafood or enjoy with sun-kissed activities like backyard barbecues and casual picnics.
Basa Lore translates in Basque to “Wild Flower from the Forest”
Il Monticello ‘Serasuolo’ Liguria di Levante Rosé
Liguria, Italy
Meet Il Monticello: a youthful, second generation passion-project cranking out honest expressions of one of Italy’s smallest wine regions. Difficult terrain, biodynamic farming and 40+ years of management are helmed by brothers Alessandro and Davide Neri. The wines are the sort of conversation starters that’ll have you balking over racy and round Vermentino one minute and googling how to pronounce Canaiolo the next. Whether you’re familiar with these local varieties or hearing about them for the first-time, tasting Il Monticello universally leaves a lasting impression. And in this commonly underestimated region, we’ve been scratching our heads trying to think of who else is coming even close to this caliber of quality in the area.
Il Monticello ‘Serosuolo’ rosé is bursting with unique coastal charm and savory red fruit notes. It’s made from a local variety called Ciliegiolo and is fermented in stainless steel vats after a brief maceration on skins. Lees aging lends the wine texture, but the final rosé is balanced and fresh. Drink casually on its own or with arugula-topped pizzas and springtime crudités.
Alessandro & Davide Neri inherited Il Monticello from their father, & currently work alongside Piemontese enologist Claudio Icardi
Chateau Goudichaud Rosé
Bordeaux, France
Journey with us to the Graves appellation of Bordeaux, where Chateau Goudichaud made waves as one of the first properties run by a woman winemaker in all of France. In 1930, the Glotin family purchased the domaine and Henriette Glotin ran it with an unwavering devotion for over four decades. Through her work, they established themselves as producers of powerful, elegant and complex wines. Today, Goudichaud is led by Yves Glotin and cellar master Sophie Horstmann. Both continue Henriette’s legacy of consistency and excellence in every bottle, while operating at an impressively high production capacity. Their ability to maintain both quality and quantity sets them apart in the wide world of rosé production, where consumers are becoming more critical of bulk rosés made merely as an afterthought. (This is not that wine.)
Chateau Goudichaud Rosé is produced entirely from Cabernet Franc in the direct press method. Taste-wise, ripe strawberry and white pepper notes are backed by a crunchy, mineral finish. Somewhat unexpectedly, one of our favorite ways to enjoy this wine is with steak. Give the red a break— throw in a luxurious béarnaise sauce and some french fries and prepare to enter food-pairing heaven.
Chateau Goudichaud has been a partner with Serendipity for over 20 years!
Quinta da Calçada Rosé
Minho, Portugal
Watching the rise of quality Vinho Verde in the market has been a blessing for off and on-premise businesses alike. But add to that a stunning label, estate fruit, and sustainable wine practices, and you’ll find yourself with a rosé that checks all of the boxes. Enter Quinta da Calçada rosé, a wine maverick from some of the oldest certified vineyards in Vinho Verde. Does it look good on a shelf? Strikingly so. Is it priced competitively? Absolutely. Does it reflect a sense of place? Does it have good structure for food-pairing? Is it cheerful? Yes, yes and yes. Boxes checked.
But most importantly, it’s dang delicious juice. Quinta da Calçada rosé is a single-varietal expression of the thicker skinned, heavily pigmented Vinhão grape. It shows aromas and flavors of bright raspberry, dried stone fruit, and heady florals. Vivid acidity and a slight effervescence make it a natural choice for sushi, salads and progressing from mimosas at brunch.
Quinta da Calçada’s estate vineyards are certified by Sativa
Any wine program worth its weight knows the value of selecting exceptional rosés that’ll keep patrons coming back for more. And now is the time to lock those selections down! With these four core rosés showcasing unexpected corners of Europe, we’re confident that 2024 will be an unforgettable year of all things pink. Reach out to your rep for pricing and inventory, today!