Pink Party

Ahh Rosé! Memories spark every time I have a glass of a perfectly chilled, dry rosé. A wine that has been highly misunderstood due to the popularity of sweet "blush wines" like the unfortunate white zinfandel, which have no resemblance whatsoever with the decidedly dry European rosés.
Walking through the streets of Paris and stopping at one of the multiple cafes for a glass of rosé is a part of every season. I was a bit hesitant to have a cold beverage when I was pretty chilled myself, but to my surprise the very chilly wine became part of the charm of being cold like I have never been before.
Ever since, regardless of the season, I scavenge the wine list of every restaurant for a glass, whether still wine or bubbly.

http://notdrinkingpoison.blogspot.com/2011/08/righteous-following-au-passage-75011.html

Rosé wine is made, mostly,  from red grapes such as Syrah, Pinot Noir, Cabernet Franc, Grenache, Merlot, Malbec, Cabernet Sauvignon, Tempranillo, Sangiovese, Zinfandel and other, each of these grapes can be either used alone or in a blend based on their region. Champagne rosé can be made from a blend of Chardonnay, Pinot Noir and Pinot Meunier. The color is developed by allowing the juice to sit on the skins for a few hours, or sometimes longer, to draw out the amount of color and flavor desire for the specific style of the region or the wine maker. There is also a blending method, red into white, commonly used in champagne.

If you are looking for a versatile food paring wine, you can't go wrong here. This very food friendly wine will set well on a table with guests enjoying fish, steak and a vegetarian meal. Perfect for a hot summer evening, a picnic or barbeque, or even a cold night with a warm bowl of soup.


I was pretty excited to find out about a Rosé tasting at Elway's on Wednesday May 29 from 6pm-8pm, as you can see I really enjoy this style of wine, and the excitement grow when I found out that we, the customers, will be able to vote for our favorites to be featured in their Summer Rosé Flight. This is a great way to get introduced to many different styles from France, Spain, Italy, California, Greece and Austria and to enjoy some light Hors d'oeuvres, while doing the hard work of a Sommelier.
I highly encourage you to give Rosé wines a chance, summer is here and it will be a great time to get started.

Here is a list of some of my favorites this year, which you can find at your liquor store or in many restaurants:

2012 Tuck Beckstoffer Hogwash Rosé, CA 100% Grenache 

2012 Alexander Valley Vineyards Rosé, Alexander Valley 100% Sangiovese 

2012 Acrobat by King Estate Rosé, OR  100% Pinot Noir  

2012 Cline Mourvédre Rosé, Contra Costa County  100% Mourvédre 

2012 J Vineyards Vin Gris, Russian River Valley  100% Pinot Noir

2012 Remy Pannier Rosé d'Anjou, Loire Valley 40% Cabernet Franc, 40% Grolleau, 20% Gamay

2012 Jean Luc Columbo "Cape Bleu" Rosé, Provence 67% Syrah, 33% Mourvèdre 

2012 Marchesini Chiaretto Rosé, Bardolino Corvina,Rondinella & Molinara

2011 Feudi di San Gregorio Ros d'Aura, Campania 100% Alianico

2012 Mas de la Dame Rose du Mas, Provence 50% Grenache, 30% Syrah, and 20% Cinsault 

Feel free to ask your retail shop manager or your server next time you are out for their recommendations.

Enjoy!

By Paula Thomas