A ROSĂ BY ANY OTHER NAME Appreciating the complexity and pairing power of summerâs favorite pink drink Written by Bonnie Graves
Once dismissed as sticky-sweet zinfandel juice â an American product accidentally invented during a fermentation disaster at Sutter Home Vineyards â pink wine has since made a huge market comeback in its more traditional, dry style. A âdryâ wine is not to be confused with oak aging or other winemaker finishings; itâs simply defined as a wine in which all of the sugar present in the original grape juice is fully converted to alcohol during fermentation. Most of todayâs more popular rosĂ© wines follow this model, although some wineries still make sweeter pinks in which some residual sugar is allowed to remain in the completed wine. Thereâs a reason dry rosĂ©s first rose to prominence in the south of France, and itâs largely due to climate. As the temperatures rise, a dry pink wine refreshes in the same way that tart beverages like lemonade or margaritas do. Not too many folks want to sip on a dark, brooding Amarone or a high alcohol Napa cab while sitting poolside or lounging in St. Tropez. When the weather gets hot, we instinctively reach for something lower in alcohol and higher in acid, and rosĂ© wine fits both requirements beautifully. Whatâs cool about rosĂ© wine is that it is a style that allows a wide variety of grapes to shine; no one grape or winemaking region dominates the sector. For the intrepid drinker, there are loads of rosĂ© (or rosato and rosado) wines out there to discover. 56 slmag.net
If youâre stuck buying that one familiar pink wine at your local grocery store â you know, the one thatâs near the produce section, that costs about ten bucks and is a guilt-free indulgence â then you need to broaden both your palate and your horizon. The best way to do that is to shop independently. Find a local wine retailer, not a liquor store that happens to stock some wine too. Ask that nerdy young lady working in the shop to suggest her favorite rosĂ© and buy it! People fluent in wine like to drink well, but they usually have less disposable income. (Not wine writers of courseâŠ) Weâve jumpstarted your search for you by highlighting five amazing bottles of rosĂ© wine, none of which will break the bank, and all of which are made with care and attention. Industrial pink wine is generic, made from leftover grapes, and the literal bottom of the barrel. Learn to check labels. Find an importer you like and track down their wines. Wine-searcher.com is also an easy resource if youâre not familiar with it yet so that you can find your favorite new rosĂ© based on geographical proximity or your stateâs shipping regulations. Cheers! 2019 G.D. Vajra, âRosabellaâ Rosato (Piemonte, Italy) This beautiful Italian rosato from the Vajra family is made mostly with nebbiolo, the noble grape of powerhouse reds like Barolo and Barbaresco. Here it is blended with small amounts of barbera and
