Two Rosé Saintly Wines Are Candidates for Valentine’s Day

Are you a saint? Maybe in January, starting off the New Year. But whether you are or not, and want to enjoy some fun rose wines, then Saintly Wines may be on your radar. I received these two rose wines which are made by Okanagan’s Saintly Wines to review. I have the Saintly, the good rosé 2021 and the Saintly, the good sparkling rosé, 2021. I don’t know the grape varieties to make both wines, but I would guess Pinot Noir for both and maybe some Chardonnay for the sparkling wine.  The bubbles are likely from the Charmat method. These wines are described as being uncomplicated, fun, and easy to drink.  I agree.  I think that these two wines would be nice to share with your significant other for Valentine’s Day.

I have not heard of this winery before but I see that they are part of Arterra Wines Canada, Inc. which is the country’s leading producer and marketer of award-winning, globally recognized Canadian and imported wines, including Jackson-Triggs, Inniskillin, Bodacious, Bask, Saintly, Bu, and Kim Crawford.  If you know more about the Saintly Winery, please post your info in the Comments section below.  Thanks.  Let me tell you about the wines I tasted.

My Wine Tasting Notes

Saintly, the good rosé 2021 (BC $19.99)

Appearance: Clear, medium-intensity orange tea rose colour.
Nose: Medium-minus nose with aromas of lees, strawberries and red fruits, and touches of citrus and bramble leaf. No change to the aromas after decanting.
Palate: Dryish, fuller body, smooth, with medium acidic prickle giving this wine backbone. Light tannins. Crisp red berries, strawberries and a touch of bramble leaf. Bright flavours. No changes on the palate with decanting.
Finish: Medium-plus length with lingering fresh crisp red fruit and strawberry flavours, plus bramble leaf. Light tannins. No change to the finish with decanting.

A fresh and bright rose.  Decanting not needed as the aromas and flavours don’t change.  Open and enjoy at your leisure.

Rating: A medium-intensity orange tea rose colour.  Light aromas of lees, strawberries and red fruits with touches of citrus and bramble leaf.  Dry, fuller body with medium acidity.  Crisp red berries and strawberry flavours.  Medium-plus length.

Saintly, the good sparkling rosé 2021 (BC $22.98)

Appearance: Clear, medium-intensity orange tea rose colour. Medium-sized bubble in the glass. When I popped the cork, the bubbles poured over the top of the bottle. Quite effusively.
Nose: Medium-minus intensity aromas of red fruit, strawberries, cranberries, and strawberry leaves.
Palate: Dry, full body, high acidity and pronounced flavours of tart red fruit, strawberries and strawberry leaves. A touch of floral and grapefruit with air. A mix of creamy and biting medium-sized bubbles on the palate. Light tannins.
Finish: Medium-plus length finishing with tart red fruit, strawberries, a touch of crisp apple, and lightly drying tannins.

Rating: Medium-intensity orange tea rose colour. Medium-sized bubble. Dry, full body, high acidity and pronounced flavours of tart red fruit, strawberries and strawberry leaves.  Some grapefruit and floral flavours as well.   Medium-plus length.

A Quick Wine and Food Pairing

Crispy pork belly is very hard to resist.  I look for it at restaurants.  Today I decided to try making it at home with my air fryer.  The recipe is really simple and cooks quickly in the air fryer.  I thought that with the fattiness of the pork belly and the savoury flavour of the roasted pork, the acidity and red fruit flavours of these wines should make a nice pairing.  The red fruit flavours went nicely with the texture and fattiness of the pork belly.  The acidity also kept the pork belly from being too greasy, but the bubbles from the sparkling overpowered the dish a little.  I’d recommend going with the still good rosé 2021.  The sparkling wine may work well with a cheese plate or sushi.

Where Can I Buy These Wines?

The Saintly, the good rosé 2021 is available at BC Liquor stores, Everything Wine, as well as the LCBO in Ontario (but maybe from an Ontario winery), and the Saintly Wines website.  When you go to the Saintly Wines website, there is a different feel than other winery websites.  Their website has lots of clothing merchandise, appropriately coloured pink to match the wines.  

I could not find the Saintly, the good sparkling rosé 2021 on the Saintly Wines website, so I assume it is currently sold out.  There are a few bottles available at select Everything Wine stores. This sparkling rosé is also available at the LCBO in Ontario (but maybe from an Ontario winery).