It’s Okay to Drink Pink

By Sandy Wasserman

As temperatures rise, we all look for ways to cool down. As wine drinkers one option is to drink pink….I mean rose. Often stereotyped as being too sweet like white zinfandel or to feminine for real men to drink, roses have had a rebirth over the last few years and the trend continues to grow. Wine writers often like to give some press to roses in time for summer usually mentioning their favorites. Often the most widely drank wine in France rose’s here in the USA seem to get the biggest push in October as it’s National Breast Cancer awareness month and wine companies donate a portion of rose sale’s to cancer research charities. Definitely a good thing, but by October most people are feeling cooler temps and thinking about bigger reds.

Rose’s are made in the same way as white zin in that various red grapes are used and the skins are only slightly pressed so all the skin color and tannins are aren’t included in the juice. You still get the complexity and character of the grape, but not so heavy a wine. Crisp and dry, with a chill on it they can be quite refreshing on a summer day paired with a salad or lighter fare. They can also be enjoyed by its self as a great sipper. Nowadays rose are coming from all over the world and in most red varietals. How about a rose of Malbec from Argentina or Sangiovese rose from Tuscany. In the Rhone region of France and in regions along the Mediterranean rose usually consist of blends of Grenache, Syrah and Mouvedre. Sparkling rose’s also are pleasant if your prefer bubbles. As for prices, I’ve rarely seen arose above $15.

If you’re walking down your store aisle or perusing a restaurant wine list looking for a rose, you may only find the token placement. Although people are getting on the bandwagon most buyers don’t feel there is enough demand to support more than one rose, if that. That is of course unless you frequent an establishment where the buyer is a fan of rose and wants to expose people to the excitement that rose offer, not just in the summer but year round as well. Never be afraid to ask for a rose if you don’t see one as most buyers are looking for the demand to increase their selection. So as your shopping for wines to stock your fridge for the dog days of summer remember to say to yourself, “It’s OK to drink pink”.

Cheers.