The last tasting seminar during Camp Schramsberg focused on rosé sparkling wines served with tasting trays mapped with creamy goat cheese polenta, fresh goat cheese, smoked paprika, seared salmon, salmon gravlax, picked beet and orange emulsion and Venezuelan sirloin steak.
Fun fact: Rosé sparkling wines in France are typically served at weddings.
Three wines were offered during this seminar, and here is what I tasted:
- A 2015 Brut Rosé that tasted of watermelons and strawberries.
MY FEEDBACK: It had a higher residual sugar level and paired quite well with the creamy goat cheese polenta and with the fresh goat cheese and seared salmon. It did not pair well with the smoked paprika, and the sirloin steak made the wine sweeter, while the wine went bitter with the salmon gravlax.
- The 2014 Querencia Rosé offered a creamy palate but was higher in acid.
MY FEEDBACK: This wine did not pair well with the creamy goat cheese polenta and with the seared salmon; it was tart. The pickled beet and orange emulsion wiped out the wine, but it was wonderful with the steak, both with and without chimichurri.
- The 2009 J. Schram Rosé was close to the color orange.
MY FEEDBACK: This was a more austere sparkling that went well with the creamy goat cheese polenta and smoked paprika. It did not do as well with the steak, as the acid in the wine came out with the chimichurri. The seared salmon became bland.
Overall, the education you receive during a 2-day Camp Schramsberg experience is unparalleled. The fall offering is Camp Davies, focusing on red wines. I was fortunate to have attended the no-longer-offered fall Camp Schramsberg, but now I’d really like to experience Camp Davies and learn more about the reds.