Text Ilkka Sirén

Summer is approaching. At least that’s what they say. We have had a very cool start to the summer season here in Finland. In fact the last time it was this cool in June the Berlin Wall was still up. It’s not like the bad weather comes as a surprise but after a long winter we Finns are definitely ready for some warmth. If you have a good imagination and a glass of rosé in your hand, you just might get yourself in a proper summer mood. Only thing missing is my Speedos, sunscreen SPF 30 and Havaianas.

Summer boosts rosé sales all over the world. In Finland rosé wines are virtually nonexistent throughout the year but in the summer shelves flood with rosés from China to California. Intense fruit bombs of different origins fly out of the shops at record speed. Big part of the rosé wines we get here are not very good to be honest. I get “easy-going” but most of the stuff is closer to pink Sprite. Just uninteresting. While rosé might not be the most intellectually challenging wine, it’s still a wine that can sweep me off my feet like the best of them. A good rosé wine, for me, has to be balanced, fresh and full of flavour. None of that watery bland liquid with aromas that feel almost artificial. Nowadays everybody seems to be doing rosé just because they can. Half-ass attempts, barrel rinsers, thirst quenchers. Wines that doesn’t excite nor quench. But when a rosé wine is really good, oh boy…

I came back home from a trip and I just had to have some crayfish. Don’t know why but sometimes I get hungry for something specific and when I get an idea in my head nothing else will do. In this case a creamy crayfish spread with dill and lemon on black bread. Not just any black bread but certain slightly sweet kind of black bread from the Finnish archipelago. Simple and delicious. Comfort food at its best. The crayfish was screaming for some wine and frankly so was I. As we all know a good rosé wine is extremely food-friendly. It has the mouthwatering acidity and drinkability of a white wine but it’s slightly more structured and has this certain vinous character to it. Luckily I had a JP Azeitão Rosé from Bacalhôa in my fridge just for this kind of tasty crayfish emergencies.

JP Azeitão is a straightforward rosé with seductive raspberry and cherry notes. It has some Syrah in it which gives it a nice spiciness. Not complex by any stretch of the imagination but simply a delicious little wine. Good bang for the buck and a great match with some seafood snacks.

While I continue to wait for summer it’s this kind of small treats that make the wait worth while and with this you don’t even need the sunscreen. You can just close your eyes and feel the Portuguese sun through the wine.

Contacts
Bacalhôa Vinhos de Portugal
Estrada Nacional 10
Vila Nogueira de Azeitão
2925-901 Azeitão
Portugal
Tel: (+351) 21 219 80 60
Fax: (+351) 21 219 80 66
E-Mail: info@bacalhoa.pt
Website: www.bacalhoa.com