The South Fork’s Wölffer Estate Vineyards in Sagaponack has just released a new rosé — Summer in a Bottle Côtes de Provence. This addition to Wölffer’s portfolio of six acclaimed rosés was grown and vinified in Provence under the watchful eye of Wölffer winemaker Roman Roth.
Roth is extremely excited about the release of Wölffer’s first Provençal wine. This undertaking is “the realization of a longtime dream,” he says. “Summer in a Bottle Côtes de Provence perfectly marries a Provençal delicate complexity with Wölffer’s signature casual, yet elegant, American style.”
“This new wine will deliver a European élan and sophistication to a much-loved Hamptons staple,” Roth continues.
This marriage of Hamptons-based oversight and French-grown grapes is unique among Long Island wineries. (Maiden & Liberty began mixing grapes from France and the North Fork in 2016 to produce wines dubbed “French-American.”)
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Winemaker and Wölffer partner Roman Roth in Provence.[/caption]
Wölffer is most famous for its distinctive Summer in a Bottle Rosé, which enjoyed its first annual release in 2014. This wine is perhaps as well known for its whimsically detailed packaging as for its clean, elegant fruit with a classic, dry mouthfeel. The new Côtes de Provence iteration comes in an equally colorful bottle wrap.
But how does it taste? Well-structured, it presents peach and citrus zest aromas complemented with floral notes and delivers lively fruit flavor, all the way through the long, elegant finish. It offers a classic salinity.
Roth has long credited his Long Island wines’ hints of saline to their seaside terroir. Though climatically similar, Long Island lies a bit more south in latitude than the South of France. Both regions are known for their seafood and tomatoes.
To sum up: Summer in a Bottle Côtes de Provence tastes like cultured versatility in the glass, refreshing.
Rosé is made using red wine grapes, with less skin contact time during fermentation than red wine, and almost all rosés are created by blending grape varietals. The Côtes de Provence iteration is tried and true to French tradition — combining Grenache, Cinsault, Syrah, and Vermentino grapes.
“It’s a winemaker’s dream to work with these varietals, using blending techniques to achieve this classically Provence profile,” says Roth.
The Provence region of France is the original and reigning rosé capital of the world. At 34,000 cases in this, its first year of production, Wölffer’s Summer in a
Bottle Côtes de Provence, combined with Wölffer’s other rosés, could launch Long Island as the rosé capital of the United States.
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Wölffer Estate Vineyard partners, from left, Marc Wölffer, Roman Roth and Joey Wölffer. Courtesy Wölffer Estate Vineyards.[/caption]
America is the top consumer of wine worldwide. We drank over a billion gallons of it in 2020, according to wineinstitue.org. In 2017, rosé replaced French red and white wines as the top category seller in the United States, and now demand outpaces domestic production by a wide margin. While over 70 percent of all wine consumed in the United States is domestic, France produced 72 percent of the rosé served in the U.S. in 2019, while Italy contributed 14 percent, according to winenews.com.
Wölffer Estate has consistently created some of the highest quality rosés ever produced stateside, garnering numerous awards. Despite amping up production, they sell out of their popular rosés every summer.
Like all Long Island wineries, Wölffer Estate is a young house. Opening the doors to its beautiful Tuscan-style villa winery building in 1997, Wölffer Estate Vineyard — originally called Sagpond Vineyards — was founded by German-born Christian Wölffer (1938-2009) in 1988. Its first wines, 1991 chardonnays, were released in 1992. Roth has been on hand to educate visitors since 1992.
Production of Wölffer Estate Long Island wines uses grapes from three East End vineyards — the Sagaponack fields and two vineyards on the North Fork. The 55-acre vineyard in Sagaponack is part of a 125-acre estate. Also located on the property are the Wölffer Estate Stables, with equestrian facilities for jumpers, hunters, and dressage.
The property is now owned and operated by Wölffer’s children, Marc and Joey; Joey’s husband, CEO Max Rohn; and Roth, longtime winemaker and now also a partner.
In time, Summer in a Bottle Côtes de Provence could compete nationally with popular brands produced in France such as Whispering Angel and Hampton Water.
Another overseas venture — the Finca Wölffer label — has seen Roth traveling to Spain and Argentina for over a decade. Marc Wölffer acquired properties in these distinct wine regions to deliciously expand the Wölffer global footprint.
Wölffer Estate first released wine produced from its 200-acre vineyard in Mendoza, Argentina, under its Finca label in 2014. Offerings include a crisp rosé produced in Argentina.
Compared to Whispering Angel, which sold over half a million cases in the U.S. annually, Wölffer’s new Summer in a Bottle Côtes de Provence may look like a boutique product, but Wölffer has consistently expanded its output — from 1,600 cases of wine in its first year of production, just 30 years ago, to 204,000 cases annually today. Of those 204,000 cases made on Long Island, and in Argentina and France, 173,500 are rosé.
Though 2020 saw a dip in rosé sales due to pandemic restrictions on gatherings, all sources project that rosé will continue to gain in popularity in this country, with some rosés now being sold in cans. “Pink wines” are generally the least expensive.
Rosé is a wine that is enjoyed young. Typically, a vintage is released in the year following its harvest. Wölffer’s first Provençal vintage was bottled in December.
Rosé is considered a summer drink in part because it should be served well-chilled. Though released in the early spring, this food-friendly wine pairs well — no matter the season — with grilled seafood and mild egg dishes such as omelets.
While Wölffer has long been known for its delicious rosés and cellar-worthy reds, the South Fork winery also produces sparkling wines, ice wines, ciders, gins, and a brandy. Their other new products are alcohol-free — ciders and a rosé, dubbed Spring in a Bottle.
Stacy Dermont is co-author, with Hillary Davis, of “The Hamptons Kitchen” (W.W. Norton & Co.), the cookbook and guide that features over 100 of Stacy’s wine pairings. More info on stacydermont.com.
Stacy Dermont on Feb 22, 2022