Think Pink
Europeans have enjoyed rosé for years, with some wineries staking their entire reputation on the quality of their pink-hued wine. Americans, it seems, are finally coming around to grilled-food-pairing-perfect rosé, says Chris Hutchinson, portfolio manager at Vanguard Wines LLC in Grandview. “It’s fantastic because rosé is absolutely fantastic,” he says. “When it’s done correctly, it can be somewhat serious wine.” Hutchinson shares five things you should know about picking and enjoying rosé. —Beth Stallings
At its best, rosé is fresh and dry. “The wine should be delicate and nuanced, not over the top and full throttle,” Hutchinson says. And though you can’t always judge a good rosé by its hue, in general, paler is better. “If it’s really, really opaque, I would stay clear of that.”
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great estate rosé from France could cost upward of $50. “But if you really do your due diligence,” Hutchinson says, “you can find really great rosé in the $12 to $15 bottle range.”
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“Vintage is extremely important. You want the most current vintage at all times,” Hutchinson says, explaining rosés aren’t built to age. This summer, look for bottles with a 2013 vintage. And if you’ve been saving that 2012 since last summer, it’s time to uncork.
Where it was made and which grapes were used matters. The best rosés tend to come from France, specifically southern France, Hutchinson says. These wines are made from a combination of grapes, with grenache, syrah and cinsault (SAN-soh) the stalwarts to look for. You’ll also find solid rosé from Spanish winemakers, who tend to use grenache and tempranillo to produce darker and more Bieler Pere et Fils, 2013, fruit-forward rosés, Coteaux d’aix en Provence, France Hutchinson adds. ($12.99) “[It’s] going to be a little more delicate, a little more nuanced. It’s certainly going to have more of those savory herbal flavors and aromas.”
Warm is bad. Hutchinson recommends drinking most wines between 50 and 65 degrees, placing the perfect temp for rose at the lower end of the scale. But, he warns, if the wine is too cold, it will shut down. “The aromas aren’t quite as pronounced, and even the flavors can be a little reticent,” he says. “Getting into that 55-degree area, it kind of opens the wine up to its true expression.” So, just like you would rest a steak coming off the grill, let refrigerator-chilled rosé sit at room temperature for about 10 minutes before opening.
Rosé pairs great with food. “We think of sweet wines being like Coca-Cola, just a beverage to drink,” he says. But a good rosé—with fresh fruit flavors and savory, herbal aromas—are great for food pairing. Think a charcuterie plate, garden salad, fish or a light chicken dish, Hutchinson suggests. “It’s a very versatile wine, and it can be absolutely right for the dinner table as well.”
Charles & Charles Rose, 2013, Columbia Valley, Washington ($12.99) “This is going to be the most user friendly. [It’s] pretty fruit forward, easy drinking (and great poolside).” Bedrock Ode to Lulu, 2013, Sonoma County, California ($24.99) “That one’s going to be a little more serious [than the Bieler], but it’s still going to be fun and fresh. The flavors are little more concentrated, a little more intense. It’s probably the most versatile in terms of food pairings, too. It’s a great wine for the dinner table.” s U M M E R 2 014 • C o l U M b U s C R av E . C o M • 9 9