Summer is fast approaching which means it’s time to swap your boots and Cabs for sandals and light fruity wines. Some our favorite warm weather wines are dry Rosé. Rosé is a type of wine that incorporates some of the color from the grape skins, but not enough to qualify it as a red wine. They’re made from a wide variety of grapes and can be found all around the globe. It can be made still, semi-sparkling or sparkling and with a wide range of sweetness levels from highly dry Provençal rosé to sweet White Zinfandels and blushes. Since there are so many types of Rosé wines, in this episode we are going to talk about winemaking techniques, flavors and recommend some awesome Rosé wine from four different regions.
In this episode we discuss:
- Different production methods of Rosé wine
- Brief history of Rosé wines
- Flavor characteristics
- Food pairings
Wine Recommendations (all are a dry style and we list them from lightest in color to darkest)
La Grand Vigne Coteaux Varois en Provence Rosé 2016 – priced around $14. This Salmon colored wine from Provence, France has a light nose of minerals, lavender and strawberry. It has medium acidity but lighter on the body and alcohol with flavors of flowers, with a hint of strawberries. This is quintessential French rose, classic and elegant and a great wine for cheese and bread on the patio on a summer day.
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La Fleur de François Crémant de Bordeaux Rosé Brut – priced around $17. This sparkling wine is made in the Champagne Method but from the Bordeaux region. This salmon colored wine is fruity and fun with aromas of bread or toast, with minerals, strawberry and watermelon. The color might suggest a lighter style but we thought it had medium body, acidity and alcohol with flavors of toast, strawberry, green apple, with a hint of minerality. This wine is refreshing and great with food. In fact, it could even handle slightly spicy food thanks to fruity flavors tricking you into thinking it’s sweet.
Domaine Loubejac Willamette Rosé 2016 – priced around $15. This Pinot Noir Rosé comes to us from Willamette Valley Oregon. It’s lovely pink color and light nose of watermelon and strawberry scream summertime. It’s in the light to medium range for acidity, body and alcohol with flavors of strawberry and watermelon, with a little bitterness on the finish. Thanks to its fruity flavors, this wine is a perfect wine to enjoy without food making it a great sipping wine.
Isabel Mondavi Deep Rose Cabernet Sauvignon Napa Valley 2013 – priced around $15. This wine is unique – a rose of Cabernet Sauvignon made in the Saignée method! It’s garnet colored with aromas of blackberry and black pepper. It has flavors of dark berries and black plum with an herbal finish so it tastes like a cab but a lighter version with medium acidity, body and alcohol. Drink on it’s own or with foods like grilled meat or spicy food such as curries which will bring out more of the fruity flavors.
Do you have any favorite summertime Rosé wines? Let us know your recommendations below!
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