Earlier this fall we made the case for continuing to drink rosé wines after Labor Day. Now that the weather is turning colder and grayer, we’d like to double down with an unusual rosé from the Camargue. Pink Flamingo (as its producer, Domaine Royal de Jarras, calls it) is a gris de gris — a very specific type of rosé made from the Grenache Gris grape.
We are fans of Grenache in all its permutations. The ‶gray″ Grenache is a mutation specific to the marshy soils of the Camargue wetlands that are part of the Rhône river delta. Pink Flamingo Gris de Gris, Sable de Camargue AOC is made with first-press juices from organically grown grapes. The name strikes us as an example of misguided marketing, at least for the American market, because it suggests an unserious, perfumed sweet rosé. The flippant flamingos on the bottle (the work of Latin American folk artist Cataline Estrada) suggests the same thing.
As a result, we had low expectations for the wine — until we cracked open a cold bottle. The ultra-pale salmon color belies the fresh intensity of the fruit both on the nose and the palate. The assertive minerality makes Pink Flamingo a terrific wine with food. Although it’s effectively a bleed, it has an intensity approaching a red Côtes du Rhône. But the fruitiness makes it pair nicely with poultry and end-of-the-growing-season vegetables. At $16-$17 a bottle, it’s worth having a few on hand for lighter autumn and even winter meals.
While the Sable de Camargue wine appelation is technically in Occitane rather than nearby Provence, we think Pink Flamingo is great with our version of Roast Chicken Provençale (see below).
Roast Chicken Provençale
- 8 large shallots, peeled
- 8 ripe plum tomatoes, quartered
- 2 cans of artichokes in water, drained
- 1 large or 2 small fennel bulbs, trimmed, cut in eighths
- garlic head, unpeeled cloves separated
- 3 carrots, peeled and quartered
- 2 large red peppers, peeled and cut in 1-inch strips
- 2 tsp. dried rosemary crumbled
- 2 tsp. dried thyme, crumbled
- 1/4 cup olive oil
- 1/4 cup lemon juice
- 1 cup chicken broth
- 4-6 small new potatoes
- 1 4-lb chicken
Preheat oven to 350°F.
Place vegetables except potatoes in large roasting pan. Sprinkle with herbs, oil and lemon juice. Add 3/4 cup broth. Cover with foil and bake 20 minutes.
Add chicken and potatoes to pan. Cover with foil and roast 1 hour. Baste all with pan juices. Increase temperature to 450°F and roast until chicken is brown and crisp and juices run clear when thigh is pierced with knife (about 20 minutes).
Remove chicken to platter and surround with vegetables. Cover to keep warm. Remove skin from 6 garlic cloves. Add to blender with juices, remaining chicken broth, and a cup of vegetables. Blend until smooth and serve on the side as a gravy.