74 WINE SPECTATOR • MAY 31, 2020LE
FT
:^ SONYA^ KHEGAY/STOCKSY
;^ R
IGHT:^
CHRISTINA^ SLA
TON^ PHOTO
GRAPHYKeVIN BRATT
Concept wine director, Joe’s Seafood,
Prime Steak & Stone Crab
3 RESTAURANT AWARD WINNERS“I’m not sure I’d call it
‘underground,’ but the
Cassis region of Provence
has an incredible rosé from
Clos Ste.-Magdeleine that
will always be on our wine
list when it’s available. If
you’re looking for something
a bit more esoteric, I’ve
enjoyed the Lei Li Rosé from
Caduceus winery in Arizona.
Their rosé is produced using
Nebbiolo and shows potential
for the use of Italian varieties
in that region.”
There are so many great rosés from Italy—
don’t be afraid to explore outside of France.
The Tiberio Cerasuolo d’Abruzzo and Pied-
mont’s Proprietà Sperino Rosa del Rosa are
two of my favorites at the moment.
VICTORIA JAMES, Cote Korean SteakhouseAustrian rosés are excellent—they are
superclean, have lots of fruit and are from
fun varieties like Zweigelt that tend to
offer a different flavor profile.
BRAHM CALLAHAN, Himmel Hospitality GroupOne of my favorites is a Greek producer
named Jerome Charles Binda. He has a
winery named Domaine de Kalathas, on
this little island in the Cyclades chain on
the eastern end ... really unique climate,
and they’re made from grapes [such as Kou-
mariano, Mavro Potamisi and Mandilaria]
that aren’t grown anywhere else. They kind
of go against the norm that’s expected of
what rosé should be; these are darker in
color, they’re full-bodied, they’re salty,
they’re savory, they’re spicy.
JEREMY SHANKER, Michael MinaI’ve been a sucker for Austrian wines for
years. I’m a big fan of the wines from
Weingut Weszeli in Kamptal; his Eden
Rosé [Zweigelt with Cabernet Franc] is
bang-on for my palate. Closer to home,
the recent release from Cobaw Ridge in
Macedon, Il Pinko [100% Syrah], is tex-
tured, chewy and has lots of bright red
fruit while still being racy and refreshing.
It ticks lots of boxes.
RICHARD HEALY, Rockpool Dining GroupRosé can get ultra geeky! My favorite
lesser-known rosé that I snatch up when-
ever I can find it is Rosé de Diel, from the
namesake producer based in Nahe, Ger-
many. It’s produced from Spätburgunder,
aka Pinot Noir, grown on slate soils, with
a portion aged in large old barrels to add a
soft, approachable texture.
BRIAN PHILLIPS, Darden RestaurantsThe first is a rosé of the appellation of
Cassis in Provence, from Clos Ste.-
Magdeleine. The wine shows fantastic
charm, distinction and refinement. It’s
closely followed by the rosé of Domaine de
Marquiliani in Aghione, southeast Corsica:
Feather-light on the palate, with delicate
aromatics influenced by the Corsican
maquis. A true Corsican pleasure.
JACQUES CARIOT, Bleu ProvenceKevin BrattWhat’s your favorite lesser-
known or “underground” region
or producer for rosé?
In general, Corsican rosés
are based on local grapes
such as Sciaccarellu and
Niellucciu, sometimes with
a dash of Grenache or Syrah.
WS053120_sommsRose.indd 74 3/18/20 11:20 AM