TOUGH ENOUGH TO DRINK PINK?
Follow-me on a “Tour de Rosés” and decide for yourself.
France, Italy, and Spain have made rosés for centuries; A good place to start.

FRANCE
As said earlier, just about every region of France produces rosé so I will concentrate on the ones you can actually find.

The Rhône Valley, Provence and the Languedoc in Southern France:
Look for a Côtes du Rhône, or any Rhône Valley sub-appellations such as Costières de Nimes, Côtes du Ventoux, Côtes de Provence or Coteaux du Languedoc. They are Grenache and Syrah based and sometimes blended with Mourvèdre and Cinsault. In the Languedoc, Carignan sometimes replaces Grenache. They are mostly medium bodied, and dry with understated fruit flavors. They pair well with: poultry (duck breast!), dishes accented with black olives or sun dried tomato, egg salads, grilled vegetables, tuna (grilled, seared or raw), and salmon. A great value that comes to mind is Guigal Côtes du Rhone rosé which can be found under $15.00 (and is currently on special in several local stores). Once you fall in love with French rosés, you may want to splurge a little and try a Tavel or a rosé from the Bandol region of Provence. The most expensive rosé I have tried so far from this region is called “DomaineD’Ott” ($45?) and truly is exceptional but there is a Tavel I really like as well that is more affordable called “Chateau Trinquevedel” (under $20). A Bandol “AOC” (Appellation d’Origine Controllée) may prove difficult to find as the production for the whole wide world is very small and they are allocated.

Burgundy
In the Northen part of Burgundy known as the Côte d'Or they are made of Pinot Noir. They are a bit softer than those of the Rhône Valley, fruitier (but dry) and very versatile. Unless they are made by a large producer (Jadot, Drouhin, for ex), they can be expensive but worth it.
In the southern part of Burgundy, the Beaujolais region produces a more affrodable slightly earthy rosé made of Gamay.
Rosés from Burgundy and Beaujolais pair well with: any of the above suggestions as well as Ethnic food such as Indian and Thai.
Recently I paired a Beaujolais rosé with the best Salmon en Croûte ever (thank-you JM)served with a sundried tomato Hollandaise sauce (a twist on Choron sauce), and a few days later with a simple grilled pork chop. Both paired very well and I could not think of a better pairing for the salmon dish in particular. A white fish served with a red wine sauce also comes to mind as well as a cherry sauce for the pork (next time)and,as with any dry rosé, berry desserts.

Loire Valley
The Touraine region produces an excellent rosé made of Pinot Noir called “Sancerre Rosé” that is often described with references to minerality and under ripe strawberries. It is pricey but as with Burgundian rosés incredibly versatile. I had one of those with a three course ethnic meal once that included a mild crab rangoon, a hot Tai basil shrimp, and spicy lamb with a strong clove accent and it held his own very well and worked beautifully, interacting at times, but never conflicting. Impressive.
In the Anjou region of the Loire Valley, a sweeter rosé called “Rosé D’Anjou” is made of the Groleau grape. This is a wine to have alone, as an aperitif for ex, if you like fruitier wines.

Bordeaux
Bordeaux rosés are mostly blends of Cabernet Sauvignon and Merlot and sometimes Cabernet Franc. They are very affordable and the less expensive ones are simpler (less intensity of flavors, less structure). They are dry, refreshing, and they compliment Brunch, light dinners and berry pies desserts quite well.

ITALY
Tuscany
They are made of the Sangiovese grape (the “Chianti” grape) and are juicier and lighter than those from the Rhône in France, for ex. Some show a hint of spice and earth. They pair well with: pizza! Pasta, chicken, veal or shrimp in mild or spicy red sauces, and sausage.
Veneto
This dryer firmer blend of 3 grapes (Corvina, Rondinella and Molinara) can be paired as you would a Rhone Valley rosé.
Sicily
A semi dry rose is made of Negro Amaro. I have not had this type of rosé yet but knowing how intense the red wine made of the same grape is I would probably venture into heartier preparations and ethnic food with this one.

SPAIN
Navarra and Rioja
In both regions Garnacha (same grape as Grenache) is used to make crisp and fragrant rosés. They are a usual suspect in Tapas Bars and served with garlicky dishes, shrimp, cured hams, and eggs dishes such as the traditional Frittata. Spanish rosés should also do well with fish stews like “Bouillabaise”, a French specialty served with grated cheese, croutons and “rouille” (saffron garlic mayonnaise).

AUSTRALIA
Barossa Valley
“Are you tough enough to drink pink?” takes more of a meaning here.
If there is ONE rosé that truly knocked my socks off it was Torbrek “Saignée”, an Australian rosé made of 100% Mataro. It takes its name from the Saignée process (method #2): the pink juice from the must of a red wine is drained from the bottom of the vat at an early stage of the fermentation. As a result the red wine remaining in the vats is intensified. I am not a huge fan of many Australian reds. I find them too thick, too rich and often overpowering. So it makes sense that this lighter “red” would be more to my taste. This dry wine had the strongest flavors of any rosé I’ve had, great texture, depth and length (long finish). Impressed, I sent my husband with a bottle of it to a party I could not attend. I did this intentionally because his friend is a BIG Red Zinfandel and Cabernet Sauvignon fan and would NEVER pick a rosé (even though he IS a little feminine). As I expected, he looked at JM with this “are you serious!?” look. But even HE was amazed after he tried it. I bet you could have this one with a Steak au Poivre and it would hold its own.

CALIFORNIA
I must admit I have not tasted many California rosés in a while. The few I have had were light and fruity and sometimes crisp. It is probably time for me to revisit however now that it is worth it for wine makers to craft rosés that won’t be mistaken for White Zin. The finest California rosés are made with the skin contact method while the cheaper ones are made by adding a small quantity of red wine to a white wine (method #3). Varietals used include: Merlot, Grenache, sometimes Gamay (the grape of Beaujolais) and the precious Pinot Noir. Until I taste more California rosés I’d have those with Brunch and lighter fare such as poultry.

OREGON
I favor Oregon rosés over California because so far, in my opinion they have greater character. Perhaps this is because Pinot Noir and Gamay are favored here. They are fuller yet crisp and display more depth and often a longer finish, and when made with Gamay, display some earthiness. They can be paired as suggested for Burgundy and Loire rosés and those made with Gamay may even do well with light preparations of leaner red meats. Adelsheim, AtoZ and Van Duzer are good brands to look for amongst others.

WASHINGTON
I have a soft spot for Washington wines. Dollar for dollar compared to CA wines, they win in my book. No I don’t have a grudge toward ALL California wines, I just have to spend more money on them to find the ones I like. In Washington the oak seems less overused and the fruit does not overpower other elements. I find them more balanced. Grenache and Syrah seem to be favored in Washington for the production of rosé; I imagine some are made of Cabernet and Merlot as well, two important varietals in WA. I have yet to do the research and the tasting in part because they are no as easy to find but I'll be looking.

SO WILL YOU TRY A ROSE?
Discovering wines while dining out is expensive but one way to do so for less is to order a “flight”. A “flight” is a tasting of 3 different wines (3 x 2oz pour) usually of the same varietal (grape) but from different countries or regions. This newer trend (in these parts anyway) has now landed in our neck of the woods so take advantage of it when you see it offered and have fun sampling and learning. Getting a group of friends together and creating your own flights at home is of course another great option. Small pours + (lots of) food + more time spent mingling = safe driving too!
And don’t worry! It’s no longer un-cool to be seen drinking a glass of pink wine, on the contrary. In some US cities it seems rosé may be on its way to becoming a “movement”! All we need now is a movie ;>D
I also read that in France rosé sales have surpassed white wine sales; Hmm…62,448,977 French (wo)men can’t be wrong, can they?

Let me know what you find and what you’ve liked! Of course the food pairings suggested in this article are only a fraction of the possibilities, do not limit your experiments to those; Go with your instinct and mostly have fun with it.

You’ve heard it in the “E”Vine
Eliane Wissocq a.k.a. “E”