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Just like you shouldn’t judge a book by its cover, you also shouldn’t judge a wine. Pink is the new red. Use Valentine’s Day as an excuse to try a different pink wine: dry rosé.
By Neil Smith
Many people will admit that their introduction to wine was White Zinfandel or other blush wines like Lancers. After learning to appreciate white and/or red wines, few wine drinkers ever give a second thought to pink wines again, assuming that any not-quite-red wine will taste like the sweet stuff from their early drinking days.
If you are guilty of judging wine by its color, use Valentine’s Day as an excuse to try a different pink wine: dry rosé. Unlike their sweeter counterparts, dry rosés are made without any detectable residual sugar, which is what gives wine a sweet finish. Dry rosés are extremely versatile food wines because they possess wonderful fruit flavors, medium body, and a crisp finish.
Dry rosé wines have been de rigueur in Southern France and regions around the Mediterranean for centuries, and their popularity is beginning to grow in the United States. In fact, the New York Times last summer featured an article about dry rosé titled “The Summer Drink To Be Seen With.” The article describes how rosé has become the drink of choice among those in the New York club scene.
So, how do you get in on the fun? Most grocery stores and chain restaurants do not carry dry rosés because the wines have not achieved mass appeal (yet), so visiting a wine shop or fine dining establishment is a good first step. Be sure to ask for a dry rosé! French and Spanish rosés are almost always dry, but you can also find dry rosés from all parts of the world. For local flavor, check out the rosés made by the wineries right here in Loudoun County. Try Bluemont’s The Donkey, Hillsborough’s Serefina, and Chrysalis’ Mariposa for drier style rosés. Also check out Tarara’s Cameo, which has a touch more sweetness and has received several medals from multiple wine competitions. Loudoun Valley Vineyards actually makes two rosés, one sweet (Blush-Zinfandel) and one off-dry (Rosé).
While you are experimenting with pink wines, go ahead and pick up a bottle of White Zinfandel or other slightly sweet (off-dry) blush wine. Open it up the next time you have a really spicy meal and note how the sweetness of the wine tempers the heat in your mouth. Sweet and spicy . . . sounds like a great start to a romantic evening on Valentine’s Day!
Serve rosés chilled, but not ice cold. Like white wines, it is good practice to store rosés in your fridge and take them out about 20 minutes before serving it.
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