A trade magazine inspired Gregory Graham’s 2015 Rose.
Yes, page after mundane page of tools, hoses, and other items necessary to the production of wine led to a gloriously light and brisk summer wine — or at least its packaging.
As Graham flipped through its pages one day, he came across a listing for sealed pouches. Already labels such as Black Box have shown the value of wine by the bagful. The container keeps the product fresh for a month or longer after opening. And for Graham, the fact that pouches would cut the cost of storage and transport of bottles was convincing.
“Rose should be young, enjoyable and inexpensive,” he said. “I embraced the whole idea.”
The wine is sprightly on the nose, flitting and dancing like a butterfly on a sun drenched afternoon. Slices of strawberry, pleasant candied fruit and juicy table grapes twirl around the rim.
Yet there are finespun indications of something more complex lolling in the wake of these brisk and cheery aromas.
A mineralic shade — soft, almost like the scent of an olive grove in rocky soil — shuffles below the capering fruits and berries. A whiff of orange zest, withering on a windowsill treads along. Rising from this are more elevated notes, akin to rosemary, white petals and genteel sweet spice.
These are faint, but speak of a Rose that is not content to flirt and vanish. In fact, the finish is remarkable, full of fresh, lingering fruits and the long days of a lazy summer. It emerges from the first rush, the subtle floral tease, hints of herbs and spice that flicker on the palate.
Still, the breezy, crisp and pleasing zip of strawberry and raspberry, the keen edge of acidity, the hint of fruit candy, sapped of sweetness — these define the 2015 Rose, transforming the simple act of lifting a glass to your lips into a carnival.
Graham routinely bleeds off a small percentage of his red varietal during the press to concentrate their flavors. He uses this initial run of juice for the Rose. The 2015 is primarily a blend of Grenache and Syrah, treated like a white wine.
Until that moment he reaches for a pouch instead of a bottle. But, as Graham explained of the packaging, “this makes so much sense.”
There’s a certain genius to this idea. The pouch holds 1.5 liters, or two bottles, of wine, fitting it neatly to a backyard gathering. It comes with a handle, making it easy to tote along on a picnic or summer outing. The vacuum seal keeps the Rose fresh and lively. It will last in the refrigerator for more than a month — at least in the home of the occasional enthusiast.
For the rest, it’s a wine to enjoy, and enjoy again.
“Watch it — it’s dangerous,” Graham warned with a laugh.
Yes, with a bottle you can check your progress. The pouch, however, may be emptied all too quickly.
Dave Faries can be reached at 900-2016
