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 5th Avenue, Park Slope, Brooklyn (718) 636-WINE
Columbus Circle Wine and Spirit, 1780 Broadway, New York City (212) 247-0764
Contributing Writer: Wine Girl
