2016 Guy Saget La Petite Perriere Rosé

Full Pull

• By Paul Zitarelli
  Full Pull Rose Spring Cleaning, 3/23/2018

  (Saget la Perriere La Petite Perriere Rose) Hello friends, There are a lot of myths about rosé. You can only drink rosé in the summer. Have you ever tried it on your Thanksgiving table? It’s breathtaking. Rosés are too sweet. Yes, Sutter Home may have ruined a generation for drinking delicious pink juice, but the typical rosé profile is racy, acidic, lively. You should only drink current vintage rosé. This one really gets my goat, because it is unequivocally untrue. While you may not want to cellar a Provençal rose for twenty years, there is something to be said about giving rosé a year or two in bottle to improve. There is nothing wrong with drinking ‘15 and ‘16 rosés this year—In fact, some of your favorites from the last few summers might show better than ever in the coming months. The only good thing about these falsehoods is that they mean past vintage rosés are usually sold for a screamin’ deal. Today, we’re taking full advantage of that. Below you’ll find three rosés. All 2016 vintage. All under $20. If you’re looking to stock up on some international treasures without breaking the bank for a summer full of pink, this is the place for you.The Saget family has been making wine in the Loire Valley since 1790 with a number of estates along the river, from Angers to Sancerre. They are one of only a handful of domaines that can say they’ve been in the Loire wine business for three successive centuries. This rosé, 100% Pinot Noir, is sourced almost entirely from the winery’s estate vineyards in Touraine, with a little bit of juice from some of the winery’s long-term partners—which is why this bottle gets labeled “Vin de France” and we get to sell it for a sawbuck. With a listed alcohol of 12%, La Petite Perrière opens with a nose full of raspberries, wild roses, melon rind, and wet rock. On the palate, it’s elevated—layered with light-yet-supple red fruit, flower petals, citrus vivacity, and stony minerals. The wine’s freshness makes it a clear choice for afternoon imbibing, patio sipping, chinese takeout, and much more. My plan: pick up a couple of banh mi, chill this bottle, go outside, devour everything, repeat for the rest of the summer.