The Wine Tipster’s Guide to Rosé Prosecco this Valentine’s Day

If rosé be the fizz of love drink on! Or so the late, great William Shakespeare nearly said. Valentine’s Day is just around the corner and what better way to celebrate the most romantic night of the year than with a bottle prosecco rosé.

Lovers of the Italian bubble have been treated in recent years with the creation of pink prosecco and yours truly, The Wine Tipster was in on the action from the start. I managed to taste trial samples at Taste of London back in 2018 when the prosecco DOC team came over from Treviso, in northern Italy. We knew straight away that this was something very special.

So how does this fizz get its pink? With white prosecco being made with the Italian grape variety ‘Glera’ its blush sibling gets its rosy hue thanks to the Pinot Nero grape a.k.a Pinot Noir the only red grape allowed in the blend.

Many wine lovers may recognise Pinot Noir’s other nickname ‘The Heartbreaker’, so dubbed because of the challenges it poses to winemakers and growers. Rest assured there should be no hearts broken this Valentine’s Day with this bubbly!

Perfecting the pink took time and producers played around with varying amounts of Pinot Noir in the blend to make sure the wine hit the right colour and flavour notes. Legally, rosé prosecco will have around 85-90% Glera grape and 10-15% Pinot Noir to hit the perfect pink.

Prosecco DOC rosé first hit British shores in time for Christmas 2020 making it the perfect gift for festive fizz lovers everywhere and has rightly gone from strength to strength. Consumers can be safe in the knowledge that only the strictest rules and regulations are followed to ensure that the quality that we’ve come to expect with prosecco DOC is the same for the rosé we buy.

The strict regulations set out by the Prosecco Consortium (the governing body) dictate the wine must come from one single harvest to produce a vintage wine or ‘Millesimato’ with 60 days of slow fermentation to increase its flavour complexity. As for the intensity of the bubble, well fans of prosecco won’t be disappointed as these wines keep their fizz long after pouring.

Valentine’s Food Pairing Suggestions

How best to enjoy this fantastic drink this Valentine’s Day and beyond? Prosecco rosés embody springtime in a glass so enjoy chilled to truly savour its natural fresh fruit and floral notes.

Like all great fizz this wine is versatile with many foods and here are some sensational suggestions courtesy of The Wine Tipster.

Much like a traditional white prosecco this rosé works well with canapés before a main meal like the classic pairing of smoked salmon on blinis. Cured meats like prosciutto or bresaola and olives are also easy and natural friends.

Fancy a light meal this Valentine’s Day? Then look no further than a classic Japanese pairing of sushi or sashimi with pink prosecco.

Cocktail Prosecco Passion

This fizz is great served chilled and straight up but if you fancy getting in touch with your inner mixologist then there can be no better blending partner. Here are The Wine Tipster’s suggestions for prosecco rosé cocktails:

Rose and Strawberry Spritz

A great cocktail for the romantic at heart, packed with colour and passion perfect for Valentine’s Day.

Ingredients

75 ml Prosecco DOC Rosé Brut

25 ml vodka

20 ml lime juice

15 ml rose/elderflower cordial

1 tsp of brown sugar

4 strawberries

Rose petals to garnish

Ice cubes

Method

• Serve and mix easily in a large Prosecco glass
• If the rose cordial is difficult to find, switch it for an easier elderflower cordial. If using a syrup, reduce the amount by half
• First, add the chopped strawberries, the lime juice and the sugar and stir well to dissolve the sugar and break down the strawberries. Then add the vodka and cordial and fill the glass with ice cubes
• Now add half of the Prosecco and stir to mix everything well
• Add the final top up of Prosecco DOC rosé and garnish with a couple of rose petals

The Rosé 75

This is a twist on a classic French 75 perhaps one of the world’s most iconic cocktails. Named after the kick the gin gives you that resembled an old wartime gun known as ‘The French 75’. Here the recipe is the same but for the addition of some rosé prosecco instead of the usual white bubbles. Soon to be a firm favourite in everyone’s home cocktail repertoire.

Ingredients

25 ml of gin

1 tablespoon of lemon juice

½ a tablespoon sugar or simple syrup

Rosé prosecco

Garnish with lemon twist or strawberry for added pink punch.

Method

• Add the gin, simple syrup, and lemon juice to a shaker with ice.
• Shake, and then double strain into a prosecco flute.        
• Top with rosé, and garnish with a lemon slice.

Rosé Prosecco: Buyer Suggestions

So if all this talk of drinking has whetted your appetite then look no further than the suggestions below for some ‘fizzspiration’. Recommended and tasted by us here at The Wine Tipster HQ.

Valdo Marca Oro Prosecco DOC Rosé Millesimato 2020 Brut £9

Valdo Marca Oro Prosecco Rose Brut 750ml | Sainsbury’s (sainsburys.co.uk)

Coming in at a good value point of under a tenner this fresh and elegant wine is packed with floral and stone fruits and works wonders with sushi and sashimi.

Viticoltori Ponte Prosecco DOC Rosé Millesimato 2020 Extra Dry

Available in bars, restaurants, hotels.

An award winning Prosecco style that works well on its own but shows versatility in cocktails see above for The Wine Tipster’s cocktail concoctions for inspiration. Look out for it at your next hotel stay or local prosecco loving bar and restaurant.

Bosco del Merlo Prosecco DOC Rosé Millesimato 2020 Brut £14.49

Available from: www.eythropewine.co.uk   www.vinissimus.co.uk

With careful wine making techniques all the great fresh flavour and aromas have been intensified in this bottle. Beautiful in colour and delicate in style. A highly versatile Prosecco to be enjoyed on its own, in a cocktail or Aperitivo time.

Villa Sandi Il Fresco Prosecco DOC Rosé Millesimato 2020 Brut

£14.99 – £19.50 

Available from:www.bellavitashop.co.uk  and Selfridges

Packed with the house trademark floral aromas of violets and roses with a large slice of fresh red cherry pie on the palate, what’s not to love?

Le Rughe Prosecco DOC Rosé Millesimato 2020 Brut £14.95

Available Beverage Boys London  https://beverage-boys.com/

If you are looking for the perfect partner to your oysters then look no further than the Le Rughe Prosecco. As romantic a match as you can get and packed with all those delicate rose aromas and red fruits. This fizz will slip down faster than your oysters if you let it!

Whatever you choose to drink this Valentine’s Day I hope you enjoy your pink prosecco and these hints and tips. Cheers from The Wine Tipster.

2021 is the Year of the Ox and February 12th marks the start of the 15 days of Chinese New Year celebrations. Here, The Wine Tipster shares a cocktail recipe perfect for ringing in the New Year in style using China’s most popular spirit that has over 6000 years of history.

Baijiu is worth 54% of the global spirits market and its presence as a luxury spirit is becoming more well known in the UK luxury drinks market thanks to Cheng International. The white spirit is distilled from sorghum, wheat, rice or corn using traditional processes, producing distinct aromas of baijiu and different regional styles. Fenjiu is is thought to be the oldest and most premium baijiu with a delicate, multi-layered tasting experience akin to the finest single-malt whisky, vintage port or cognac.

The range of Baijius from Fenjiu is easily available in the UK as they are listed with Harrods , Harvey Nichols , Selfridges, Slurp, The Oxford Wine Company, Beverage Boys London and Amazon

Traditionally used to toast the New Year in, The Wine Tipster loves the modern twist of using this ancient spirit as a base for The New Year Martini. This is a fantastic way to appreciate the versatility of Fenjiu which is a must have for special occasions.

To make the Fenjiu Chinese New Year Martini:

In celebration of the Year of the Ox, Fenjiu pairs beautifully with delicious ‘Fortune Dumplings.’ A must-have for festive Chinese occasions, you can see how to make them on Cheng International’s Instagram here.

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The Wine Tipster wishes you and your families a very Happy Chinese New Year, share pictures of your cocktail creations with him on Instagram, Twitter and Facebook, and subscribe to get blogs directly to your inbox.

As part of Cheng International’s #AtHome Instagram series, their range of Baijiu spirits have been showcased by The Wine Tipster and other expert guests including Enrico Gonazato, Andrea Dionori and QiQi Chen, highlighting how to enjoy the spirits both traditionally and in modern ways. Here, The Wine Tipster discusses four Fenjius that have become contemporary luxury lifestyle spirits with a rich history and cultural background which are available to buy in the UK from Harrods and Selfridges, although are sometimes, incorrectly, referred to as ‘Fen Chiew.’ 

Over 90% of Baijiu is drunk in China, making this an exciting new addition to the European drinks market. Baijiu is an established and ancient drink, with an undeniable popularity which has only increased as the versatile spirit has been experienced in new ways. Traditionally enjoyed neat, Baijiu’s ancient fermenting and distilling processes of the sorghum grain give the three Baijiu styles their distinctive aromas: light aroma, sauce aroma and strong aroma. In recent years, Baijiu has increasingly been used as a focal spirit in cocktails and long drinks, proving itself to be a hugely accessible spirit and one that can be savoured in a wide range of ways.

Fenjiu is the oldest Chinese Baijiu in existence. This light aroma Baijiu has been produced in the same ancient and handmade way in Fenyang City in the Shangxi province of North East China for over 6000 years. The intense labour and time required to make the spirit, along with Fenjiu’s advanced quality testing and control systems, result in the product’s unique and outstanding quality and taste. The nose and palate of each Fenjiu offers a wonderful spectrum of aromas and flavours and, just like premium wine, single malt whisky, Vintage Port or the finest cognacs, Fenjiu offers a fascinating and exceptional multi-layered tasting experience.

Fenjiu’s delicate and light aroma starts from its ingredients of the finest organic sorghum and karst water from 840 metres underground from the virgin forest. Fenjiu is also set apart from the sauce aroma and strong aroma Baijius through its traditional double fermentation and distillation process that uses earthen cylinders. The burying of these cylinders underground, covered with stone slabs and sealed with fresh grain for 28 days provides the optimal environment for fermentation and produces the highest level of fragrance, purity and quality. The distillation of the fermented grain is achieved by the manual addition of cornhusk before distilled grains go into second fermentation. The distilled alcohol is then stored in ceramic jars to mature for 1-50 years, a key step in the developing of flavour.

 

The Cheng International #AtHomeWithFenjiu Instagram events have been hugely popular, and The Wine Tipster has introduced audiences to the versatility of this luxury spirit. Having taken Instagram Live viewers through the history, heritage and tasting notes of four different Fenjius, here, The Wine Tipster also shares his advice for enjoying the spirits alone or as cocktails.

Fenjiu 30 year old 53% provides an incredible drinking experience when neat, with an intense and concentrated palate of multiple fruit and savoury flavours complementing its umami undercurrent and smokey top note. In terms of food matching, the possibilities are immense due to the combination of flavours here. For The Wine Tipster, rich savoury dishes cooked with a fragrant spice or rich fruit element – such as slow-cooked pork in sweet ginger or duck in plum sauce – would complement the spirit well. Alternatively, a rich fruit cake would bring out the candied peel, cherry and cinnamon elements of the Fenjiu 30 year old 53%.

Fenjiu Bamboo 10 year old 38% makes a great base for a contemporary cocktail. The infusion of bamboo leaf, honey and herbs in the spirit give it its clear and bright appearance, as well as its sweet and elegant palate of citrus, vanilla and floral tones. The Wine Tipster’s Fenjiu Honey Tang Cocktail brings out all of these amazing characters:

• Into a High Ball glass filled with plenty of ice, pour 20ml Fenjiu Bamboo 10 year old 38%.
• Add 80ml of a good quality dessert wine, ideally with honey and citrus tones such as a dessert Riesling from Australia or a Sauternes from Bordeaux.
• Add 40ml of fresh lemon (or lime) juice
• Top up with 160ml tonic water

Garnish with a slice of lemon and enjoy your perfectly light and refreshing summer cocktail.

Fenjiu Bamboo 10 year old 48% is a pure expression, with no infusions, giving it softly sweet and spicy notes, and alluring savoury and herbal notes. This balanced and complex Fenjiu brings immense depth to the short and zesty cocktail, the Fenjiu Orange Charmer:

In a cocktail shaker, combine

• 20ml Fenjiu Bamboo 10 year old 48%
• 40ml Campari – a perfect match for the Fenjiu’s orange notes
• 80ml fresh orange juice
• Top up with 20ml ginger ale and use a long spoon to stir until well mixed

Serve in a martini glass, garnishing the glass with a slice of fresh orange before enjoying.

The Wine Tipster’s final Fenjiu cocktail uses Fenjiu Panama 20 year old 42% with its amazingly velvety coffee and mocha aromas and flavours. On the palate, this Fenjiu is rich and spicy, with a tangy and complex dark chocolate and cigar elegance that makes it a perfect serve on its own or in a cocktail. The Wine Tipster’s take on a classic Espresso Martini utilises this sublime spirit for his very own Espresso Fenjini:

In a cocktail shaker, combine

• 40ml Fenjiu Panama 20 year old 42%
• 120ml double espresso – a top quality one like Nespresso
• 20ml pure cane sugar syrup

Serve in a coupette glass garnished with coffee beans. What a perfect finale to any evening!

The versatility and dexterity of all four Fenjius highlight what a great addition they make to a drinks collection. As a first foray into Baijiu, Fenjiu makes for an accessible and highly sophisticated experience.

For more information and orders, contact order@chengintl.co.uk, and look out for upcoming Baijiu events on Cheng International’s Instagram.

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