Three Good Choices: Fight for Pink

As the Giro reaches the final weekend with one remaining mountain stage conquering three categorized climbs, including the Col de la Bonette high in the Alps tomorrow – we invite you to sit back, unwind and enjoy three unique rosato offerings from peloton’s king of culture, Clive Pursehouse. 

Clive Pursehouse

Pink reaches its pinnacle in Italy.

Sure, pink panthers, pink lemonade and pink Cadillacs are outstanding, but the Maglia Rosa is pink’s highest calling. While the Giro d’Italia dates to 1909; the pink winner’s jersey didn’t make its first appearance on the race leader’s back until 1931. Much like the maillot jaune the Giro’s pink GC jersey gets its hue from the newspaper that founded the race La Gazzetta dello Sport which to this day is published on pink paper.

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The cycling set has always had an affinity for pink, as the Giro kicks off Grand Tour season, and its parcours often include insanely steep pitches, gravel, cobblestones, and the always rabid tifosi; Italy’s obsessive cycling fans. The drama of today’s stage, with the most certain of outcomes being turned on their head, have become a hallmark for the Giro in recent years. Its lack of predictability making it the favorite grand tour for cycling purists.

Italy produces more than just GC contenders in pink with Italian rosé or rosato coming from every corner of this wine rich country and all of them highly affordable. We don’t know if we’ll toast a Colombian, Italian or Dutch Giro winner this weekend, but whomever wins, here are three good choices:

2015 Bertani Bertarose Rosé

The rosé revolution is fairly new stateside but the Bertani family, perhaps Veneto’s most influential wine producers have been making this pink hued wine since the 1930s, right around when the maglia rosa came to grace the race leader’s back. The wine is a blend of molinara and merlot, highly unusual as a blend for rosé but also highly delicious. With a long finish and bright fruit and even notes of turned earth and chestnuts. $15

2015 Feudi di San Gregorio Ros’ Aura

Feudi di San Gregorio is pioneering a new approach to wine-making in Campania, using cutting edge technology with a commitment to indigenous varieties they’re making some of the region’s best wines. This rosé is made from the region’s very tannic red aglianico grape and the use of stainless steel fermentation results in a pink wine with a lot of berry aromas, a fresh crisp acidity and a bit of structure. $14

2015 Belguardo Rosé

From the Maremma of Tuscany on hills not far from the coast in the commune of Grossetto comes an unusual blend in an Italian pink wine. Equal parts of the signature Tuscan grape; sangiovese as well as syrah for a pale pink hued wine that is both crisp and textured. While bone dry the wine spends time on the lees, as well in neutral barrels, as opposed to steel tanks resulting in a slightly creamy mouth-feel mixed with bright flavors of strawberry and cranberry. $15