The Cheese Shop of Salem

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Rosé SZN


Let’s drink wine that makes us think of fresh flowers, long days at the beach, evenings on the porch watching the sunset, and warm, soft weather - rosé of course! It’s rosé season, friends, and here are three of our favorites to start off the summer of drinking pink. 

The 2021 Oyster River Morphos Rosé Pét-Nat is one of those remarkable wines that pairs with everything!. Hailing from Warren, Maine, Brian and Allie Smith have been making natural wine out of their 100-year-old barn since 2007. Their Morphos Rosé is made from Merlot grapes, and after fermentation with indigenious yeasts, these pink bubbles undergo their secondary fermentation in bottle resulting in a slightly spritzy pétillant-naturel. A stunning dark pink hue, Morphos is dry and juicy with smooth bubbles and notes of tart cranberry, cherries, and blackberries. 

After partaking in harvests across France for years, Kate Norris and Thomas Monroe turned their wine sights to Oregon where they opened Division, their French inspired organic winery. The influence of both cultures is visible even on the label of their 2021 Division L'Aviron Rosé, which is composed of two road maps, one French and one Oregonian, that come together as one. We always look forward to Kate and Tom’s annual release of their 100% Gamay rosé. Grapes are picked early in Columbia Valley to retain acidity and spend a brief amount of time in contact with their skin imparting a light-pink watermelon hue. Enjoy the vibrant flavors of strawberry jam, basil, and raspberries, and pair with a watermelon and feta salad.


With its sun soaked coastline and ocean breeze, the only kind of wine you really crave in Provence is rosé. While we can’t all travel to Provence we can enjoy the 2021 Château Roquefort Corail Rosé from biodynamic winemaker Raimond de Villeneuve. Raimond purposefully harvests late to allow his grapes to develop complexity before harvesting by hand. After destemming and pressing, this blend of grapes that includes Grenache Noir, Syrah, and Cinsault, is fermented in large cement vats. Corail, aka ‘coral,’ has a mineral-driven body and notes of white peaches, roses, and strawberries. Try pairing Corail with a whole grilled trout spritzed with lemon, or with wedges of the cakey French goat cheese Tomme de Chèvre Cendré.


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