Drink Pink

I met a Wine Girl who’s been around the grapevine & happily volunteered to coax us through the wine list.  Without further ado:

What’s the perfect summer wine for a picnic, bbq, or outdoor
fine dining?  Ranging in sweetness and seriousness, there’s a ROSE to fit any
fare and satisfy even the most sophisticated palate.  And rose isn’t just for ladies – real men aren’t afraid to drink pink.

What is a rose?

Rose wine generally comes from black-skinned grapes of any varietal (Pinot Noir, Syrah, Cabernet, Sangiovese, etc.).  What makes rose different from red wine is the length of time the grape juice stays in contact with its skin, aka, maceration.  The grapes are first crushed, de-stemmed, then left to macerate before pressing.  The rest of the rose wine-making process is exactly the same as it is for white wine.  So when a white wine isn’t quite enough and a red wine sounds heavy for a hot summer night, a  rose is the answer, boasting the bright qualities of a white wine and the structure of a red.  With so many different styles, rose’s versatility allows for interesting food pairings.

There’s just a few things to remember:

• Roses differ in MACERATION time, RESIDUAL SUGAR & the AGING PROCESS (wood or no wood)
  

• The DEPTH of color is probably going to reflect the WEIGHT of the
  wine. Pale pink or salmon-colored
  rose will be lighter and more delicate (notes of mineral, herb, orange,
  melon, rose, lime, almond, mint, & wild strawberry). A darker pink, purple, or light red
  color will be bolder & weightier on the palate
  (notes of watermelon, juicy strawberry, cherry, raspberry, earth, spice,
  tannin).

• The key to mixing rose with food is BALANCE.  If the pink wine has a
  ton of fruit, it also needs a nice bit of acidity to go well with food.

Try these pairings:

• Light rose 

                Eat - Oysters, shellfish/summer salads
                Drink -  Sancerre, Lucien Crochet 2005 (Pinot Noir)

• Medium-bodied rose

                Eat - Grilled salmon or chicken 
                Drink - A-Z Rose 2005 (Tempranillo)

 

• Full-bodied rose

                Eat - Ribs/dogs/burgers
                Drink - Monarchia 2005 (Cabernet Sauvignon)   

You can even try something fun to lighten it up a bit.  Add a little seltzer, ice, and lime for a homemade rose spritzer!

WHERE TO SHOP:
Smith & Vine, 246 Smith Street, Carrol Gardens, Brooklyn (718) 243-2864

Astor Wine and Spirits, 299 Lafayette, New York City (212)
674-7500

Chamber Street Wines, 160
Chambers Street, New York
City  (212)
227-1434

Red, White, and Bubbly, 211
5^th Avenue, Park Slope, Brooklyn (718) 636-WINE

Columbus
Circle Wine and Spirit, 1780 Broadway, New York City (212)
247-0764

Contributing Writer: Wine Girl