Pretty in Pink: Rose Wine Tasting

Growing up in Napa Valley in a winemaking family, Heidi Barrett was destined to become one of California’s leading winemakers. Graduated from UC Davis with a B.S. Degree in Fermentation Science in 1980, Heidi has exposed herself to a wide range of winemaking experiences and started making her own wine in 1994.

In 2002, she found Amuse Bouche, commonly known as the Pomerol-inspired Merlot from Napa Valley with her longtime friend, John Schwartz. Recognizing that the cult wine phenomenon has created an almost aspirational class structure among collectors, the partners decided to make this limited-edition wine available to a much broader consumer base.

Heidi Barrett has been a wine judge at various competitions over the last 20 years, was president of Napa Valley Wine Tech, and has graced the covers of both The Wine News and The Wine Enthusiast. She has been a featured guest on several television programs, was winemaker of the year, made Parker's list of wine personalities of the year 1994,1995 and is on Parker's wine heroines list of 1998. Parker has dubbed her the "first lady of wine".

A family business for five generations, Vilmart is driven by unique intuition, a taste for precision and a certain form of freedom.

In 1890, Désiré Vilmart founded the house in the heart of the village of Rilly-la-Montagne, at the foot of the Montagne de Reims. He was succeeded by his son Charles, then his grandson Renan. They were both instrumental in furthering the house’s growth. Independence and boldness were already characteristic of the house’s outlook.

During the Second World War, Renan witnessed the destruction of the estate. With courage and determination, he applied himself to reconstructing buildings and facilities over cellars that had been spared; Vilmart still occupies these premises, which have been developed and added to by each successive generation.

The 11 exclusively Premier Cru hectares of the Vilmart vineyard are located in the Rilly-la-Montagne terroir. The proximity of the plots and unity of place, a particular feature in Champagne, allows the vines to be tended with particular care. The Vilmart vineyard is also notable for its mix of varietals: a majority of Chardonnay (60%), with the remaining 40% planted to Pinot Noir.

This proportion is highly unusual for the region, essentially planted to Pinot Noir and Meunier. The estate’s vines are on average 35 years old. Grapes from the oldest vines, which are 60 years old, are reserved for crafting Coeur de Cuvée and Blanc de Blancs champagnes.

Frerejean Frères is a distinguished champagne maison established by brothers Guillaume, Richard, and Rodolphe Frerejean-Taittinger. Growing up in the grand cru village of Avize, the brothers were immersed in the world of champagne from an early age. Inspired by their heritage and the expertise of local champagne growers, they founded Frerejean Frères in 2005, with fifth generation winemaker Didier Pierson leading the way. Originally crafted for friends and family, their champagne quickly gained popularity, leading to the expansion of the business.

Frerejean Frères is at the forefront of Champagne’s ‘quiet revolution,’ emphasizing traditional techniques to produce low quantity, high quality, and characterful champagnes. The maison prioritizes quality, terroir, and craftsmanship, using only premier and grand cru chardonnay and pinot noir vines. Their cuvées undergo a minimum aging process of five years to develop added complexity and finesse. Despite its global reach, Frerejean Frères remains committed to smallscale production.

Since 2019, Frerejean Frères has been the official supplier of the Michelin Guide in France, succeeding Veuve Clicquot and Billecart-Salmon, who held the position for nearly two decades. Their champagne is also served in Air France's La Première (First Class).

The essence of Champagne Frerejean Frères lies in six key elements: a blend with 30 to 50% of reserve wines from the best years, aging for an average of four to eight years in bottles before disgorging, a light dosage in sugar (generally less than 6g/l) determined through blind tasting to highlight each wine's character, Chardonnay and Pinot Noir grape varieties predominantly from Premier Cru and Grand Cru villages, pressing using only the ‘tête de cuvée’ (musts from the first pressing), and fermentation and aging in enamel tanks and used Burgundy oak barrels.

Château Saint-Maur, a Cru Classé estate in AOC Côtes de Provence, excels in producing high quality wines from its exceptional terroir. Acquired by Roger Zannier in 2011, the estate underwent extensive renovations and now features a high-tech cellar and luxurious settings. The vineyards span nearly 100 hectares.

Managed by Patrick Galliano, the estate cultivates varieties like Cinsault, Grenache, and Syrah. The meticulous care and advanced vinification techniques result in exceptional wines that have become global benchmarks. Château Saint-Maur's wines, particularly the rosés and whites, are known for their elegance, complexity, and superior quality.

Unlike other Provence rosés, Château Saint-Maur's offerings stand out for their refinement and Excellence, making them a distinguished name in the region and a reference for AOC Côtes de Provence wines worldwide.

Ponte is one of Italy’s leading winemaking companies, operating across the provinces of Treviso and Venice, both prime production areas for Prosecco DOC and DOCG. Ponte has always strived for uncompromising quality, applied to every step of production, from the vineyard to the bottle. For Ponte, quality is a process that starts with rigorous, careful selection of grapes and is continued with cutting-edge winemaking technology, thanks to next-generation machinery.

Expert agronomists, oenologists and wine technicians carefully oversee every step, aided by modern technologies to assure the finest wine quality, from vineyard to glass.

The result is the most authentic essence of nature in a glass of passion and quality.