LISA VANDERPUMP

Originally published June 23, 2017 for Aspen Peak

Lisa Vanderpump Unveils Her New Rosé Wine

Of all the entrepreneurial ventures to emerge from the world's most famous sorority, Kappa Kappa Real Housewives, Lisa Vanderpump’s rosé is certainly the most natural. In fact, as a restaurant tycoon and pink evangelist the question is: What took her so long?

Debuting her new vintage during the Food & Wine Classic in Aspen, Vanderpump hosted a sipping preview at the Wild Fig restaurant.

"The color is so important,” says Vanderpump. “It can't be too pale or too dark. It had to be from France as we've spent so much time there."

Indeed, the wine is a happy pale pink that seems to bottle sunlight in the way that nice rosés do. It was produced in the interior Valley of Provence and Sainte Victoire Terrier.

Vanderpump feels there’s space in the rosé sector. "Americans still think rosé is a hot pink zinfandel," says Vanderpump, citing however that she hasn’t tried frosé —frozen rosé — yet. “I guess I ought to try it.”

"Oh frosé is delicious!" a Texas wine distributor chimed in. "It's so refreshing. You should serve it at your restaurants."

"Yes. That's a good idea," Vanderpump responded with her trademark reserve.

Her other trademark, the Vanderpumpian work ethic, was on display later in the main tent. Husband Ken Todd with son-in-law Jason Sabo stood studiously by as mother and daughter slung rosé all afternoon. Lisa’s daughter Pandora partnered on the creation.

Mark Oldman Spills on Luxury Wines

Of the endless presentations, talks and demonstrations, perhaps no one was so ubiquitous as wine uber-enthusiast and best-selling author Mark Oldman. In his “Wine for Zillionaires” class he walked a packed room through a selection of fancy wines including a Nebuchadnezzar-sized (that’s the biggest) Benovia Pinot Noir and a rare French Cabernet that he described as, “What Jackie O.'s purse must have smelled like in the ‘70s."

Parting wisdom: If you buy a wine at auction, do check to see the name of the wine has been spelled correctly on the label. Counterfeiters are more brazen than you might think.