Flight School

A lot of myths are floating around out there, many of which are just trivial common misconceptions. They don't necessarily matter, but still these things are just untrue beliefs: bulls hate the color red (nope, they're color blind) and Napoleon is short (5'7" was above average height in France). Others can impact health: don't wake up a sleepwalker (no, don't let them unknowingly hurt themselves) and alcohol will "warm you up" (alcohol actually drops your core temperature). Even "Fake News" has somehow become a thing (and a rabbit hole that I am not going down here).

Then we have the inexplicable myths, and one in the adult beverage business in particular that gets to me: rosé wine is a "summer" wine. You might be saying, "Hey...aren't you the guy who just gave me whiskies to drink when the seasons change?" or "Didn't you just tell us Grüner Veltliner is a good wine for springtime?" Why dispel a myth about seasonal drinking?

Yes and yes, and I did just shamelessly redirect you to two of my other pages to remind you that I did refer to some of these items. You know what? I'm guilty as charged. I tend to fall into this seasonal pattern of drinking, but to be fair I never said it was the right way or the only way to drink.

By the way, I do understand the allure of these pink wines when it's warm outside! Rosé plays well with a lot of different foods. Rosé's fruitiness is enhanced when chilled and has a thirst-quenching quality (even if we should be hydrating with water). You can turn cheap versions into pitchers of sangria.

However, rosé wines can be seductive at Valentine's Day. They can pull the Thanksgiving table together. They can work at a cocktail party on a random Saturday in October or as a killer sparkling wine with tapas at a restaurant on a night out in January. They work with the tricky rich and salty combination of foods like baked ham or "green" foods.

I believe that this "rosé is for summer" myth sprouted once rosé from the Provence region of France became very popular. Provençal rosé is light, dry, delicate, and delicious with light appetizers, salads, and seafood...things we tend to eat more of on warm days. The Provence style is an easy crowd-pleaser as you can satisfy a range of palates for a gathering. But what if you eat light year-round? What if you are a ravenous carnivore, whether you are outside grilling or pan-searing indoors? How about those winter holiday parties? If you are anything like my family in December, you would think we have 75 people coming over. There is more than light and delicate rosé out there.

Quick educational tangent: most times rosé wine is white winemaking with red grape varieties. Gently crush grapes, let the white juice run out into a tank, allow a short period of skin contact (to achieve desired color), and drain pink juice to a stainless steel tank ready for fermentation.

So maybe it's time I re-evaluate my own wine buying and drinking choices. Who says you can't have rosé at any time of year? Now is the perfect time to get tasting all the styles of rosé wine. Your retailer is getting them in on their shelves. You can ask for something you don't see and a good shop will be able to turn your request around in a day or two (assuming the distributor has the wine in stock or available to sell in your state of residence).

Let's stop making "rosé in summer" like "don't wear white after Labor Day." Here is a recommendation for several of styles of rosé out there, including a little bubbly. Just make sure you and I keep the momentum going together through September and beyond.

Mont Marçal Cava Rosado ($18)

This is a sparkling wine made from Trepat, a red Catalan grape variety that is well-suited for rosé winemaking thanks to its berry-scented fruitiness. This example has a strawberry jam on toast flavor that would make a great counterpoint to salty-umami appetizers featuring anchovies or capers.

Domaine Houchart Côtes de Provence ($15)

A classic, moderately-priced rosé that we have consistent success with at the store. This is a traditional blend of Grenache, Syrah, Cinsault, and Mourvèdre that balances fresh red berry fruit with acidity. The ruby red grapefruit note in this wine is enhanced with a green salad with a basic vinaigrette.

Adelsheim Willamette Valley Rosé of Pinot Noir ($17)

Now we start moving into wines with more body and texture. Adelsheim makes exquisite red wines from Pinot Noir, but their rosé bursts with strawberries and nectarines. The balance of body and acidity leads to food versatility and is a great match with more substantial dishes like poached chicken, baked ham or even a roast turkey.

Domaine Bousquet Mendoza Malbec-Cabernet Rosado ($12)

Bousquet's wines come from vineyards situated at absurd altitudes (over 4,000 feet above sea level), leading to grapes with high acid and deep color. The Malbec gives soft ripe berry fruit while the Cabernet contributes lively cherry fruit. I like this with a sturdy fish, such as tuna or swordfish with soft green herbs, or roast pork.

Peter Zemmer Alto Adige Lagrein ($19)

Lagrein is a variety that thrives in the northeast of Italy, giving wines with intense violet aromatics and dark berry fruit. When made as a rosé in this example from Peter Zemmer, the flavors are more cherry and raspberry-scented with rose petals and wild herbs. There is even a slight tannic bitterness that adds to the overall flavor. Our salesperson described this as a "steak wine" and I can't say I disagree! This is a perfect rosé to enjoy with red meat.