Historically Provence in the southern Region of Rhone has been known for its Rosé. There the pink stuff is as common as whites and a mainstay of French living. It’s also a great place to select a wine from if you know nothing about Rosé. The wine is not made by blending red and white grapes together but rather using a red grape and determining the influence of color by the time the skins are touching the grapes (maceration). It can also be made from almost any grape under the sun. Colors range from the color of very pale pink to almost a fuschia.
A decent Rosé runs less than $20 a bottle. A great Rosé costs less than $30 a bottle.
Fast forward to today’s Rosé. From Rosé gummy bears, jam, and macarons the trend has taken off. The wines are on a roll. It’s summer and that helps but look at the hashtags in social media. From #RoséAllDay to #YesWayRosé, they’ve taken social media by storm. There is even a #ThePinkSociety with a focus on Rosé posts on Instagram. We’re still waiting (nods to Apple ) for the Rosé emoji. A decent Rosé runs less than $20 a bottle. A great Rosé costs less than $30 a bottle. The vintage aspect is less important because Rosé does not need to age like a Cabernet. Less time aging equals less pressure on the pocket book. Given that these wines are particularly refreshing, lower in alcohol and light on the palate you can certainly imbibe more than a cabernet sauvignon. And you do not always need it to pair with food like some of the more acidic reds we sip. BBQ, tacos, and fish happen to be Rosés middle name. It’s also fantastic with mildly spicy food.