Rosé - Respect the Pink

Pink wine doesn’t have to suck. In fact, most of it outside the US is very tasty and affordable. Luckily, many US producers have dropped the “White” prefix and are following the Old World model. There is a glorious world of dry (yes! DRY!) Rosé wine out there that deserves every wine lover’s attention. Now I know many of you may get gag reflex reactions at the sight of a blush pink liquid in your glass. No doubt, this is an involuntary reaction to memories of bad first dates over Mateus (an iconic and nostalgia inducing sweet Rosé in the flask shaped bottle) or company picnics with boxes of White Zinfandel. I understand. But please, please, please TRY a glass of a terrific dry Rosé this summer. I promise you will find no likeness to the watermelon Jolly Rancher flavors in the off-dry blush wines that haunted your early wine drinking days.

First off – pink does not equal sweet. The color of a wine has no impact on its sweetness. The sweetness of a wine depends on the sugar levels of the harvested grapes and how much of that sugar is converted to alcohol. In most cases, winemakers make sure nearly all the sugar works its magic with the yeast to create the adult-only potent part of vino. Most of the Old World produces their Rosé in a very dry style and celebrates their affinity with a variety of foods.

All of Europe flocks to the Mediterranean coasts of France, Italy, Spain, Greece, and even Turkey for vacation. The sultry weather and tropical settings let everyone strut their stuff along the beach and enjoy the impeccable fresh vegetable and seafood dishes that allow them to wear (or not!) those skimpy outfits. Want to know what they drink with their famous Ratatouille while they get their “San Tropez tan”? Rosé.  A DRY and carefully crafted wine made from good quality red grapes. Heavy reds just don’t feel right for sultry al fresco dining. The Rosés from southern France deliver the big flavor of red grapes like Grenache, Syrah, Cinsault and Carignan while benefiting from a refreshing chilled temperature.

The traditional Bouillabaisse has a spice that is echoed by the lavender, thyme, and pepper aromas of a chilled Provence Rosé. A seafood stew with a light tomato broth is probably too hearty for a white, but a red would most likely kill the delicate flavors of langoustines, mussels and pricey shellfish. Rosé fits the bill.

Reds would certainly overpower the delicate chilled chunks of tuna, potatoes, hard-boiled egg, tomato, haricot-verts, and greens of the famous French Salade Niçoise. Sure, white would probably be fine, but the fruity Grenache-based Rosés from the Southern Rhone, transcend these dishes from everyday fare to a meal that highlights the earthy tones of the fish and starch, while bringing out the natural sweetness of fresh tomatoes and green beans. Again, these wines have flavors of red berry fruits and even floral aromas, but they are fermented to a completely dry beverage. The beauty of these pink gems is not only are they exceptionally food friendly, but they’re cheap! On this side of the pond, these wines tend to retail for $7-$15.

The French also celebrate Rosé with the entire town of Tavel committed to producing rich and hearty Rosés. They are often 13 percent alcohol or more and command over $25 per bottle stateside. The French region of Bandol gets well over $20 retail for their peppery and elegant pink drink crafted from a majority of Mourvedre. Plenty of other famed French red wine locales make Rosé as well, including Bordeaux, the Loire and of course Champagne. Of course, Champagne Rosé isn't easy on the wallet.

The Spanish are so committed to Rosés that they have two categories of pink wine. The Rosados are a light strawberry red color with a dry but fruity flavor best served chilled. The more pale pink Clairettes pair well with seafood tapas and lighter fare. Garnacha, like the French Grenache, is often the base grape here, sometimes blended with Tempranillo and other hearty red varietals.

Italy is definitely a great place to search for pink drink. Most any region in Italy that makes vino rosso can also legally make Rosé from the sanctioned red grapes of the area. There are at least 200 DOC* that sanction Rosé. Therefore, Rosés from Tuscany tend to be Sangiovese based; whereas southern Italian offerings are often pink versions of grapes like Cannonau, Nero d’Avola and Aglianico.

Beyond the European standards, there is plenty of Rosé available from the New World. Some of the most intriguing are Grenache and Malbec blends from Argentina and Cabernet Sauvignon and Cabernet Franc based wines from Chile and South Africa. Australia makes some very affordable and flashy Shiraz Rosés and even some California producers offer a dry style crafted from Pinot Noir, Cal-Itals, and the oft-abused Zinfandel. "White Zinfandel" did a great injustice to Zinfandel as it is a great grape for Rosé. These pinks are generally a bit brighter in color and lower in acid than their Old World brethren, but equally tasty. Bring a nice juicy dry Rosé to your next BBQ and you may be surprised how versatile and refreshing the wine can be with grilled meats and chilled salads.

So, how do you get your hands on some of the “good” pink stuff? Certainly your local wine shop is a good place to start. Even the fancy pants grocery stores seem to carry a decent selection. Unfortunately, these wines don’t always fly off the shelves, so stores frequently display old and tired vintages. Rosés don’t tend to age well, so make sure you are getting a 2008 vintage or younger on anything you buy this Spring and Summer.

The last hurdle most would-be pink drinkers struggle with is image. Some folks are just too embarrassed to order a pink beverage in a restaurant, lest the hottie at the end of the bar mistake one for a White Zin swillin’ yahoo. My advice here is simply “Man up.” Take the opportunity to share your knowledge of Rosé and its affinity for food. You will probably intrigue and impress a new friend and open the door for a private late night bite of tapas, accompanied of course, by some fashionable and tasty Rosé.

* Italian DOC - In 1963 the Italian government introduced the DOC (Denominazione di Origine Controllata) that is a set of laws that defined wine production. Based largely on the French AOC system the DOC determined: which wine districts truly had merit, the geographic boundaries of these wine districts, what varietals were permitted and in what proportions, alcohol strength, and even the minimum aging requirements.