The Magic of Rosé
May 15, 2014
By Kaitlin Ohlinger
What’s the absolute best thing about living in South Carolina?
My answer is this: ROSE SEASON! Side note- if you said Jadaveon Clowney, I will not take that away from you. But I’m going in a wine direction here, in case you couldn’t tell. For us South Carolinians, rosé season practically lasts all year, and for that, we should consider ourselves fortunate. But right now is what I would consider PRIME rosé drinking time. So what better moment to remember all the reasons why we love this enchanting thing called rosé?
First, a moment of clarification; let us hope you already know that pink wine comes in other forms besides White Zinfandel.
Technically, a White Zinfandel is simply a rosé wine that is made out of Zinfandel grapes, and is made in a sweet style. The terms dry and sweet refer to the level of sugar that is left in the wine during the winemaking process. So could you make a sweet rosé of Cabernet? Sure! If you wanted to. But for today, let us focus on the DRY rosé’s, which are really in a class of their own.
Speaking of Cabernet and Zinfandel, what is the first reason we love rosé? Variety! A dry rosé can be made out of ANY red grape in the world! Some are considered more preferable, but still- imagine the possibilities! A Grenache rosé will most likely have a bold magenta color, whereas a thin-skinned grape like Pinot Noir will produce a rosé that is a lovely pale pink. Tempranillo is popular in Spain; it’s all about Cinsault, Carignan, Grenache and Syrah in Southern France, and an Italian Rosado of Sangiovese can be incredibly charming. Oregon does some wonderful things with Pinot Noir Rose; often searingly lean and high in acid.
So we’ve determined that you can try a new rosé almost every week this summer and probably never run out of choices! Why else do we love Rose? Here’s what I think: rosé is FUN. Rosé is inviting. Rosé is meant for NOW. Whenever now is. It’s almost impossible to look at a frosty bottle of rosé, with beads of condensation forming against it’s beautiful pink color… and NOT start salivating with anticipation. Rosé is flirtatious and a little bit frivolous. You don’t need a reason to drink it. Rules don’t apply to it. Don’t worry about what “pairs” with it. Just open it.
I’ll leave you with the most obvious reason why we adore rosé: it tastes good! Whether it’s a $10 one-note symphony that bursts with flavors of watermelon and strawberry soda and makes your tastebuds dance, or a $20 study in elegance; shy, fleeting and captivating with the most gracious fruit you’ve ever witnessed and leaves you speechless. The Cult of Pink Wine Lovers is always accepting new members, so hurry up and get started on your homework: drinking!
Recommended bottles:
Las Lilas Vinho Verde Rosé, 13 Portugal $10
Ostatu Rosé, 13 Spain $15
Elk Cove Vineyards Rosé, 13 Oregon $16
Lioco Rosé, 13 California $19
Omero Cellars Rosé, 13 Oregon $23 (limited)
above bottles can be purchased at Cellar on Greene
Stop by Cellar on Greene. Located at 2001-D Greene St., their Wine Shop is open Mon-Fri 11am-5pm, Sat 12non-5pm and their wine bar is open Mon-Thurs 5-10pm, Fri-Sat 5-10:30pm. You can visit their website here.
