When summer arrives, I love nothing more than sitting on my patio watching the sunset into the Annisquam River while sipping a glass of Rosé wine. As the day cools, the crisp, dry, sunset-colored wine refreshes the soul.
Until recently, “pink wine” had a poor reputation, and many wine drinkers shunned Rosé, thinking it was sweet, super fruity, and of inferior quality. In the last five years, with the introduction of French Rosé to the American market, Rosé has skyrocketed in its appreciation and consumption, especially in summer. Why? Because they are dry, refreshing, “easy drinking” and pair well with summertime foods like salads, grilled vegetables, fish, and barbequed meats.
Rosé wine grapes
Rosé wine is produced from black and red grapes. The most commonly used varietals include Pinot Noir, Grenache, Cabernet Franc, Mourvèdre, and Cinsault. Rosé is always pink and ranges in color from cotton candy pink to cranberry juice red. The depth of color depends on how long the juice is in contact with the grape skins, a result of the winemaker’s chosen production method.
Rosé production methods
There are two primary methods used to make rose wine. In the direct press method, the grapes are gently pressed to release “free run” juice collected in vats and fermented into wine. This process extracts minimal color from the fruit’s skin, producing a delicately colored and soft fruit flavored wine. In a second method, called maceration, grapes are crushed, and the juice sits on the grape skins for a few minutes to several hours. An extended period of maceration results in a deep mauve pink wine, with a fuller body and intense fruit flavors.
Côtes de Provence
Rosé wine is produced worldwide, including in France, Italy, Spain, Portugal, and the USA. If you prefer a lighter style of Rosé, look for a wine from the Côtes de Provence appellation in southern France. These wines are petal pink, dry, crisp, and light-bodied, with peach, strawberry, and watermelon flavors. Pair them with soft cheese, appetizer, fruit salad, or grilled fish.
Tavel and Chinon
If you are cooking something more robust, such as steak or barbecued chicken, choose a darker colored, full-body Rosé. Look for a wine from the Tavel appellation in the Southern Rhone region of France where the majority of the wine produced is Rosé. Tavel is deeply colored and intensely flavored of cherry, cranberry, and raspberry with soft tannins on the finish. I call it “the red wine drinkers Rosé.” It is a perfect complement to a spicy or full-flavored BBQ sauce. If you cannot find a Tavel wine look for a Chinon from France’s Loire Valley. Made from Cabernet Franc grapes it has robust flavors of dark fruits and is grilled meats friendly.
Cheers!
A version of this article was originally written for Recette Magazine, and was published online on February 17, 2021. See the original article here: https://blog.suvie.com/rose-all-day-and-the-summer-bbq. See all of Susan’s previously published articles here: https://alwayssharingwine.com/tag/previously-published.