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Rosé wines are pink, posh and perfect for fall.
Sure, rosé wine is pink, and one might think it the perfect wine for sissies, grannies and sorority girls in poofy dresses. Well, think again because rosé has shed its dainty white zinfandel-like reputation and moved into the major leagues. The renaissance of rosé is in full swing.
It is rumored that a number of rich and famous celebs who summer vacation in the Hamptons chug down magnums of Domaine Ott, an expensive, dry southern French rosé, on many a hot day.
Rosé has re-emerged from nerd status as a sweet quaffing wine into a delicious dry style that is appealing to many savvy wine drinkers.
Rosé can be made from many grapes, particularly Pinot Noir, Syrah, Zinfandel, Sangiovese, Malbec, Tempranillo, Grenache, Gamay, Cinsault, Carignan and many others.
It has a broad range of styles, from the most popular style of bone dry and crisp to off-dry and slightly sweet. It is made by soaking red grape skins for a short time in their juice to gain a touch of red color and then the wine is drained off, fermented and bottled quickly. In France, this is referred to as the saignee (say-NAY) method that means “to bleed” (color out of the grapes into the wine).
Rosé often gets a bad rap because many people associate it with white zinfandel. However, once you taste the exquisitely crisp, refreshing style of dry rosé, you’ll be an instant convert. The beauty of rosé is its adaptability to food — everything from light seafood and cheese to pizza, burgers, hot dogs, picnic fare, smoked chicken, grilled pork chops and duck.
Rosé — hot pink and bold enough for the most macho of men in the world.
*Wine columnist Randa Warren is a Certified Master Sommelier; Certified Wine Educator; has earned a Diploma of Wine and Spirits, granted through the Wine and Spirit Education Trust in England; and is a Certified Specialist of Spirits.
