The dog days of San Antonio summers are fast approaching. Many San Antonians find cooling comfort in a cold brewski or an icy margarita, but we can now look forward to the new ‘IT’ summer drink … dry rosé wine! Dry rosé has been quenching European palates many, many summers, but among US wine consumers it is a very recent, yet rapidly growing trend and even with our traditional beer and tequila culture, San Antonio is no exception.
So what is rosé wine? Rosé is a wine that comes in various hues of pink and can be produced by one of three methods: blending of red and white wines; brief red grape skins’ contact with the clear grape juice (most common); saignée — an early stage technique of extracting a certain amount of pink juice from the tank of red wine.
The red grape varieties most often used in making a rosé wine include: pinot noir, syrah, grenache, merlot, malbec, cabernet sauvignon, tempranillo, sangiovese and zinfandel. Dry rosés combine the lively freshness and crisp acidity found in white wines, yet maintain the delicious aromas and depth found in reds. Rosés come in all shades of pink and span the gamut of red fruit aromas depending on the grape and country of origin. If sweeter wines are more your speed, look for pink wines labeled as “blush,” a term used for rosé wines that fall on the sweeter side.
Rosés also make a wonderful summer drink because they are a catch-all for food pairing! Rosés can stand up to the acidity of summer salads and even to those grilled meats at summer BBQs. Take a bottle of rosé with you to your favorite Thai or Indian restaurant because rosés love spicy foods. Any foods you would want to drink a beer or margarita with, sub in a pink wine and live la vie en rosé! Must-try dry rosés for this summer?
Support local business! Look no further than the Texas Hill Country for some delightful pink summer sippers: Hilmy Cellars – 2012 Rosé of Tempranillo Spicewood Vineyards – 2011 Rosé of Merlot Pedernales Cellars – 2012 Dry Rosé Blend.
Cecilia Barretto is co-owner of wine shop Vinously Speaking. She has a masters in wine business from the Burgundy School of Business in Dijon, France, and also holds a level 3 advanced certification of the WSET.
For more information visit www.vinouslyspeaking.com
