Rosé - Drink Pink!
You're having a steak for dinner that cries out for a bottle of red... but it's just too hot and sticky outside. What to do?
Rosé - Drink Pink!
American wine drinkers are finally waking up to how wonderful a traditional, dry rosé can be! Last year's harvest is hitting the store shelves now, so this is a great time to do some tasting and stock up for the summer.
Rosé has long been a favorite of French, Spanish, and Italian wine-drinkers - in the last few years, rosé has actually out-sold white in France. It's produced from the same grapes that make their classic red wines, just with less time on the skins so that the color and tannins are proportionally lighter, but there's still some good depth and body to the wine.
Rosé is perfectly suited for the summer, especially if you'll be enjoying your dinner on the deck. I've long described the reason for having some good dry rosé like this - You live in a place without air-conditioning, and you're having a steak for dinner that cries out for a bottle of red wine. But it's just too hot and sticky today. What to do? When you realize that rosé is merely a red that you can drink cold, you've found your answer.
If you compare bottles, you'll see that there's actually a very wide range of colors in the rosé spectrum - they are usually bottled in clear glass so you can appreciate that wonderful hue. These wines can range from very pale pink to just a few shades lighter than a Pinot Noir. You'll also find there are lots of rosés with a coppery or salmon color. The color depends largely on the type of grape, but also on the weather and the decisions made by the winemakers.
You'll find good deals on dry rosé from France (particularly the Costieres de Nimes and Cotes du Rhone regions) and Spain. There are also nice ones being produced in the Pacific Northwest - Ponzi Pinot Noir Rosé and Barnard Griffin Sangiovese Rosé are two of my favorite American rosés. One important note - if you buy an Anjou from France, expect it to be sweeter; about half-way from dry to White Zin territory. You can find excellent examples of rosé in the $12 to $20 range.
These should be enjoyed just a touch warmer than refrigerator temperature, and are very versatile. Like I mentioned above, these are perfect for steaks, burgers, or lamb chops on the deck. But I also enjoy rosé with smoked or grilled salmon, cold sausages, tuna, and big salads.
Drink pink!
