I am lucky. I get to celebrate warm weather and blooming flowers most of the year. This is the wonderful flip side to California's droughts, bushfires and mismanaged state budgets.
One clear benefit for me is that I drink rosé wines year round as well. Rosé wines have finally become hip as wine lovers discover their versatility with food and delicious red fruit flavors.
While the French continue to do battle over what defines a rosé wine and how it is made, Americans are starting a love affair with this luscious libation.
Quick rose wine facts:
1.Rosé wine can be made from any grape or combination of grapes, some red grapes are necessary for the beautiful pinkish hue.
2.Rosé wine can be made by blending finished white and red wines together.
3.The Saignée method involves 'bleeding the vats'. Basically, the winemaker removes the skins immediately after crushing the grapes so that there is minimal tannin and color from the skins.
4. Rosé wines make the absolute best beach and picnic wines.
5.Rosé wines can be enticingly fruity or bone dry, as well as anywhere in between.
Bonterra Vineyards just released their 2008 Dry Rosé and it is a stunner for the price.
Gorgeous dark pink color with fresh strawberry and watermelon flavors. Hibiscus tea and cherry aromas. There is some refreshing acidity on the dry finish.The Bonterra Rosé is made from zinfandel, syrah and sangiovese grapes.
All of Bonterra's wines are made from certified organic grapes, including this rose.
Bonterra also makes wines from certified biodynamic grapes as well. Bonterra Vineyards has been a leader in producing high quality wines from organic grapes for under $15.
Like the gorgeous Bonterra Zinfandel 2007.This juicy red wine is perfect for spring barbecues. Dense, dark purple color. Juicy blackberry fruit flavors with a touch of pepper and spice for balance.
Bonterra Dry Rosé 2008 $14, widely available
Bonterra Zinfandel 2007 $15, widely available
2 comments:
Rose is pink wine made from limited skin contact. Blending white and red wines to make a pink wine is a blush. Not a big deal to me, but as we speak they're marching in the streets of France over this distinction.
Yes, the link in the post will take you to an article about the French and their rose skirmishes.
I do realize that within the wine community there is some vigorous discussion about what makes a rose wine.
But at the moment, there are many wines that are labeled rose that have been made by one of two methods:1)blending red and white wines together, 2)or the saignee method or aka limited skin contact method
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