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Rosé is the
color of spring

By Annette Alvarez-Peters

I ALWAYS LOOK forward to this time of year, when the warmth starts to sneak back into the days, and they’re lasting longer. During spring, I temporarily move away from heavier red wines and reach for a wine that is crisp and refreshing.

;is year I vow to drink more rosé ( roh-ZAY). Although rosé wine is not as popular as some of the red or white varietals, it’s a category worth exploring. ;ese wines can be made from many di;erent grape varieties and are produced in almost every wine region in the world. This season I recommend you compare and contrast the wide range of rosés on the market, until you can settle on one or a few that will make you beam.

Many shades of pink

;e word rosé means “pink” in French, although rosé wines vary from deep red-rose to pale pink, and in some cases even display an orange hue.

;e grape varieties used are also diverse, depending upon the wine region in which they are grown. Rosé wines can be made from Pinot Noir, Grenache, Syrah, Cinsault, Tempranillo, Zinfandel, Cabernet Franc and Sauvignon grapes.

;ere are three methods to create a rosé
wine. ;e ;rst is to simply combine red wine
and white wine. ;is is illegal in Europe and
does not produce quality rosé. Most quality
rosé wine is produced using the “skin contact”
or the saignée method.

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rosés, especially those produced outside the U.S., are actually bone dry. These fruity, refreshing rosés can be your go-to wines when you are deciding between a full-bodied red or a chilled white. ;e light- to medium-bodied wines pair well with a variety of foods, such as hors d’oeuvres, barbecue, seafood, chicken or even salads and cheese.

;e U.S. (California, Washington), South Africa and Europe (France, Spain, Italy) all produce fantastic, dry rosés. When seeking out these wines, you may not ;nd the term “rosé” on the label. Instead, it may have a different moniker, such as vin gris, saignée, rosado (Spain), rosato or chiaretto (Italy) or blush (U.S.). Whatever the name, experimentation is the game.

Rosé is an excellent all-occasion wine with beautiful aromas and ;avors of raspberries, cherries, strawberries and spice. The beauty of exploring is ;nding the wine region and grape variety that suit your mood. With the warm weather upon us, there is no better time to ;nd a new pink wine to share with those you enjoy being around. Cheers to you and yours! C