This just in from Vinepair.com, The 25 Best Rose Wines of 2021.
I read this one in the middle of the night when I couldn't sleep. Big mistake. It just got me all fired up about the egregious disparities between the US and the rest of the world. Again.
12 of the "best" rosés in this lineup are American. Of those 12, 11 are from California. Biased? I am thinking so.
Then there is the subject of price. "...over half of the bottles here clock in at under $25...making them great case-buys." LOL. Sounds expensive to me. Maybe that is because here in Portugal I can buy fabulous rosés for about $2-5 per bottle. If I want to seriously splurge, I can drop 24 euros on an outstanding single varietal Touriga Nacional rosé. I am sure it would compare favorably with the $40 Provence rosé they peg at number four on the list. In fact, I know that I would prefer the Portuguese rosé because I have had the Domaines Ott rosé. And while it is good, it is not worth $40 a bottle in my book. The Pacheca reserva rosé is more complex and satisfying in my estimation. And admittedly, in this case, I am biased.
So why are wines so much more expensive in the states?
Well, because of the three-tier system, a throw-back to prohibition, prices are disproportionately jacked up. There is talk of revamping this auto- overpricing system. But given America's Puritanical, capitalistic roots, I would be surprised if that actually happens.
(Just like the health insurance system, to name one of the many broken systems in the US. But I digress.)
Reading the Vinepair article, I am reminded of how oblivious people in the US are. Hell, I was one of them until about five years ago.
Back in the day, we all thought that America was the greatest country in the world. And maybe back then, it was. Sadly, not anymore. When I mention how scary and dangerous it is over there, my friends say it is not that bad. Really? When a person can be shot and killed going to the grocery store on any given day, I have to beg to differ. The shooting du jour has become shootings du jour. And that is the tip of the iceberg, I am afraid. But again, I digress.
To further illustrate my point, there is an article about affordable rosés that appeared in the Irish Sun.
It is titled, On the Grapevine. 10 of the best perfectly presentable and very affordable bottles of Rosé wine for you to enjoy.
They run from about 6.50 euros to 25, with one from Italy for 40 euros. And, I should point out that the 40 euro number is different because of the winemaking process and is aged for a year. That might justify the higher price. (Not just another overpriced French rosé.)
Now, Ireland is an island and, these wines all have to be shipped over. So the fact that they are so much cheaper than their American cousins, for the most part, underscores my point. Most of them are 7-12 euros. This sounds like a much better case-buy to me.
Having spent years in the booze biz in the states, I have tasted a lot of wines. And while I can appreciate a good Provence rosé, now that I have had some of the Portuguese rosés for a fraction of the price, I can never go back. Never mind the wildly overpriced California offerings. (Sorry, Ca. And, I am from the Golden state.) Why would I want to?
And, I guess if you live in the United States, it helps to be oblivious to these kinds of disparities.
