Rosé For Every Shade of You

photo by Susanne Nilsson via Flickr

A pink wine for every mood (not just every food)

I’ve been an “OK, rosé” person more than a “Yes way rosé” one. But I’ve come around in recent years, especially on warmer days and evenings (or the ones that seem like they should be warmer, anyway). However, it’s not true that all shades of pink act as neutrals that go with everything. After all, it’s not always about matching food. Choosing the right pink should indeed be about matching mood. 

I don’t want a delicate whisper of blush when I feel like shouting into the void. If I’m in a salty frame of mind, I’m not picking from the fruit bowl. If I have the mean reds, I just want to chill. 

What shade of pink are you feeling? Here are some wines for that. 

A quiet, yet classic, blush of color 

Pink wine dates back to ancient Greece when it was thought that the most civilized way to sip wine was to blend reds and whites together. Around the 6th century BC, the Greeks brought rosé to southern France, to what is the modern day port town of Marseille. The style had already been popular by the time the Romans showed up in Provence, and before anyone could say, “Mediterranean”, it became all the rage there. 

So even if you’re lounging in loose pants, these traditional wines from southern France bring fashion and sophistication to your glass.

Styles to try:

Miraval Côtes de Provence 2019 ($28): With a salmon pink hue in keeping with the tradition of this AOC, this wine is made from a blend of cinsault, grenache, syrah and rolle. It’s the Audrey Hepburn of dinner guests--understated yet elegant, dry, zingy, and versatile.

Famille Perrin Côtes du Rhône Réserve 2019 ($14) and Domaine La Manarine 2019 ($14): If you’re more into wines with deeper berry flavors and drink closer to a red, go for a Rhône style like these, dominated by dark-skinned grenache, syrah and mourvedre grapes, sometimes blended with grenache blanc and bourboulenc. 

Château de Campuget Costières de Nîmes 2019 ($11): this Rhône-adjacent GSM (grenache-syrah-mourvedre) wine is budget friendly, yet enticingly flavorful enough to be the house wine of summer. 

photo by Richard Loader via Unsplash

Darling, I need more fruit!  

Of course the rosé trend eventually landed in Paris and the rest of France, where it has been a staple of café culture that spread around the world. Now almost every wine region makes some style of rosé. 

Sip these pinker pretties with warm weather fare (which basically means anything you’d want to snack on while outside, or at least with the windows open), and maybe keep the bottled chilled in an ice bucket just to feel like you’re out at the bistro. 

Wines to try:

J. de Villebois 2019 ($25) and Domaine Delaporte ($34) Sancerre Rosé: From the esteemed Loire Valley appellation known for its bone dry sauvignon blanc whites come these delicate, blushing beauties made from 100% pinot noir. 

Tablas Creek Dianthus  2019 ($32): French vines eventually travelled to California, and this Paso Robles winery is known for its tributes to Rhône styles. This bright pink wine--made from mourvedre, grenache and counoise grapes--drinks like a juicy cross between a Rhône Bandol and Tavel. If you prefer a paler style more akin to classic Provence, try Tablas Creek’s Patelin de Tablas ($25). 

Pasqua 11 Minutes Rosé TreVenezie IGT 2019 ($20): I tend to associate Italian rosés with darker shades, but this pale pink from the Veneto is a pleasant surprise. It’s a blend using 50% of the traditional regional corvina varietal, along with some syrah, trebiano di Lugana and carmenere. The skins only “kiss” the juice of the wine, in contact for exactly 11 minutes, hence the name, but it tastes fuller than it looks! 

Grounded Wine Co. Space Age Rosé 2019 ($15) - I love this refreshing Cally grenache with a snack of olives and roasted almonds as an aperitif. The name for this summery wine celebrates the romantic thrill of the American space industry, which coincides with the founding era of many great California wineries. 

Three to try from Rioja, from rosado to más rosado: 

• Beronia 2019 ($13) - made from tempranillo and garnacha, full of stone fruit (peaches, quince) lusciousness with balanced acidity 

• Hacienda López de Haro 2019 ($16) - dusty pink, made from viura and garnacha tinta, tastes like freshly crushed raspberries with a subtle earthy grip

• Bodegas Corral Don Jacabo 2019 - hot pink like a feather boa, made from 80% tempranillo with 20% garnacha, lives up to its color with flavors of red currant, ripe bing cherry and orange zest, best served with a medium chill 

photo by Roan Lavery via Unsplash

When you feel like making some noise with a refreshing fizz

It’s been so absurdly quiet lately. Know what you need to feel a bit more festive? The sound of a cork popping (or a can opening)!

I need a real treat: splurge on Laurent-Perrier Champagne Cuvée Rosé ($100) made from 100% pinot noir grown in the elevated slopes of Grand Cru Villages in Montagne de Reims. Truly one of the finest examples of the category. Champagne Laurent-Perrier also recently announced its second annual Women in Wine Leadership scholarship, in partnership with the Somm Foundation, with plans to award three women with support in furthering their career track wine education. 

I want to sip well without feeling guilty about breaking the bank: pop open Mezzá di Mezzacorona ($18) from the Italian Alps (Vignetti delle Dolomiti IGT), with a dry, flinty and berried taste that has a hint of orange blossom. 

I just want a bone dry wine with a refreshing fizz, not full on bubbles: Txakoli from Basque country in the north of Spain near the town of Getaria, a.k.a. Txakolina (pronounce the “tx” like “ch” as in “charge”), is all about the subtle bubble. The region is best known for its searingly dry whites, but I find the rosés to be the most food-friendly. I’m a big fan of Lasalde Elkartea Balea Getariako Txakolina rosé (just ask for it by “Balea”) ($19), which was produced to sip with regional seafood dishes, but it beautifully matches the tangy saltiness of pizza. 

I don’t want to think, I just want to drink (or I don’t want to drink too much): pop open a can of Rad Wine Project’s Rosé All Day With Bubbles, which comes in convenient 250ml sized cans. ($15 a 4-pack)

I’m responsible for too many decisions all day long and can’t be bothered with too much prep

What if I want something that’s sips more like a slightly chilled red? 

Oy, there are so many things to keep track of lately! Forgot to pre-chill the wine? These red wine-esque rosés don’t need to be glacially cold, just give it a wee chill or put the bottle in an ice bath and they’re good to go in a few minutes. Even if some of these are a paler pink, they drink much fuller and deeper in flavor. 

Wines to try:

photo by Signe Karin via Flickr

Hess Select Rosé 2019 ($12) - This 100% pinot noir from grapes grown sustainably in several California appellations is like an ever-so-slightly more acidic version of the Napa-based family winery’s excellent, luscious red blends. 

Elk Cove Rosé 2019 ($18) - If you prefer a more cool climate style of pinot noir, this example from one of the pioneering family wineries of Oregon’s Willamette Valley reminds me of sipping an elegant, chilled red Burgundy.

Fronton de Oro Rosado Gran Canaria 2019 ($17) - made from the inky Listan Negro grape indigenous to the Canary Islands in Spain, it’s one of those rosés I refer to as a “nearly red”. It’s juicy, but with a satisfying tannic grip that makes it ideal to pair with heartier fare—even roast chicken, burgers, chops and steak. 

Crios de Susana Balbos Rosé of Malbec 2018 ($15) - I was first turned on to this 100% Malbec from the great Argentinian winemaker Susan Balbos while still in wine school. I have sought them out ever since when I want something refreshing to sip that isn’t too delicate. 

Tiberio Cerasuolo D’Abruzzo 2018 ($20) - rosato wines from this Italian region in Molise tend to be about as dark a pink as you can get without being a full on red. Fact: I played the old Folger’s trick on a friend who claims to hate rosé with this one, pretending I was serving a chilled red wine. Surprise! Rosé, but with dark cherry flavors and tannic grip. He was into it. Try it with BBQ ribs or smoked meat pasta dishes.