I have always loved to drink pink, I just don’t like to wear pink. If I wear it I call it burgundy and God forbid I spill the wine pink on me to “wear” by over swirl. I enjoy a little extra skin contact for a darker blush or bolder varietals for the winter weather months. Who knew pink came in so many hues?!  I have been taking joy in observing others as they are embracing the fact that rose is no longer just a summer sipper. With the lovely shade of wine becoming more popular around summer now I have to get a jump on things to ensure all my friends aren’t sold out before I can procure a few bottles. I sure enjoy taking advantage of the increasing diversity in this category as it grows in popularity. However, the quick selling of some of my favorites has provided a gentle nudge to try more new producers, well more than I usually hunt down and find new loves.

For those of my friends that have openly state that they won’t drink pink I plea to open your mind and palate to embrace all that is available. Think of what it is that you did not enjoy before and try to search out the opposite. Don’t like sweet – go dry. Don’t like strawberry flavors – go grapefruit and hints of raspberry. I have enjoyed some beautiful Pinot Noir roses that have a little extra skin contact that showed the flavors of red apple skin dancing across my palate. I have salivated over the flavors of bright cherry from a Cabernet rose. Really my point is…more options, create more choices, so there is truly no reason to upturn your nose. This year I have fallen particularly hard for rose of Grenache on top of my other favorite usual suspects.

To my friends with the upturned nose, learn how different methods impact flavor. Where the grapes picked with lower sugars destined to be a purposed rose by the maceration method leaving them on the skins for a short time for color (under 20 hours).  Was the rose the byproduct or second thought to the voluptuous red by being produced via saignee method, where some of the juice is bled off for rose production while the remaining becomes the concentrated red it was meant to develop in to.  I have enjoyed both styles, but I have always felt that wine (or anything really) that is crafted with intent seems to hold a little extra love in it.

I enjoyed accompanying a friend to a rose industry tasting that showed some best of the best from around the globe. Here were my favorite from the tasting:

2016 Apriori Cellars, Rose Sangiacomo Vineyards – Sonoma Coast

Available for $25.00 https://www.aprioricellar.com/Wines

Upon first sip this wine reminded me of the invigorating juicy bite of a ripe pomelo with a little pith drenched in juice. It begins to mingle with light raspberry and strawberry making it stellar for any day, but quite quenching on a warm summer day. I think I may need to restock some of this one!

2013 Gloria Ferrer, Brut Rose

Available for $50.00 https://www.gloriaferrer.com/sonoma-premium-wines/

This bottle of bubbly would be a refreshing beginning or end to any day. You will enjoy the brightness of grapefruit and strawberry upon the nose while the palate entices with creamy meyer lemon infused raspberry dreams. A beautiful glass of pink bubbly that makes every day better! Sometimes you just need to toast to getting through it all gracefully.

2015 Domaine de Baccari, Premiere de Baccari Cuvee Rose

This wine is a lovely blend of 60% Cinsault & 40% Grenache that offers beautiful strawberry and slight citrus notes. I’m not usually too interested with bottle embellishments, but the bottom of this bottle does have a bow that would be supper cute for sipping with the girlfriends. This wine could be one that you have a hard time putting down and almost seems to invite social sipping.

2016 Bonterra Rose, Mendocino County

This wine is currently sold out, but feel free to look at other offerings on: http://www.bonterra.com/

This wine had the most delicate pink hue that instantly pulls a smile to ones face. Aromas of strawberries in a bed of slightly aromatic white rose petals calls you into your first sip. The palate entertains with strawberry and a hint of white peach flavors that linger into watermelon sips.

2016 J. Richards Winery, Rose of Aleatico

Available for $24.00 https://shop.jrwinery.com/white–ros-wines-c5.aspx

This wine is a fun blend of 80% Aleatico and 20% Syrah that makes me crave a charcuterie board on a warm afternoon. The wine has a watermelon notes that meld with red berries that scream summer sipper. I enjoy the wines from this location and they are truly “Darn Fine Barn Wines” that you must check out if you have never been.

Thank you Rose Today for sharing your love of all things pink! If you want to learn more about this great movement check out: http://rosewinetoday.com/

Cheers to all the beautiful shades of rose!