Summer Sips: 4 Incredibly Drinkable Rosés

 

This year June 9th marked National Rosé Day, giving oenophiles a valid reason to pour and taste some of the world’s most drinkable rosé for an entire day. To be honest, I don’t need a specific date to savor one of my favorite summer sips. I find myself swilling rosé as soon as temperatures pass 60 degrees, and sometimes I long for a glass of Provence-style rosé in the middle of wintertime, just because. Maybe that’s my mind and palate asking Old Man Winter to turn in early and make way for warmer days.

You’ll find me sipping rosés from around the globe through fall, and I’ll probably keep a few bottles in my fridge, just in case a warm spell invades New York City in the middle of February (I can only hope).

For many wine drinkers, summer remains the best season for exploring new pink, blush and rose-colored bottles, but the truth is, rosé has become more of a trend over the past decade, that by now, it’s classic. Here in NYC,  you’ll find rosé on wine lists well beyond the summer months. Let’s face it – rosé is here to stay! Thirsty for a little pink?  Try any or all of these four wonderfully palatable but equally drinkable rosés.

The Sisters 2016 Pinot Rosé

The Sisters wine started as a celebration of women and their girlfriends. Hectic lives leave little time for relaxation and treating ourselves to a nice bottle, but this wine wants us gals to make time for wine and friends – a flawless combination! Sip a glass of this New Zealand Pinot Noir rosé alongside your favorite warm-weather dish or all by itself. It’s an off-dry wine, but as a dry rosé drinker, I picked up very little if any sweetness in this wine. Detect ripe, lush raspberry and toffee apple accents. The Sisters rosé is an all-around pleasant wine for quaffing on a hot summer day, and would pair well with pizza, pasta, risotto, and Caesar salad, as well as kicky Asian dishes.  The rich, gorgeous pink stems from leaving the skins on for a few hours after crushing the grapes. Invite the girls over and let the wine take its course.

NV Weingut Familie Bauer Rosé

After visiting Austria, this rosé, which is available in New York, has because one of my go-to summer wines. The bottle hails from the Grossriedenthal area of the Wagram region in the eastern section of the country, not far from Vienna. (Full disclosure: I did not visit this exact region, but began drinking this bottle after I returned from my trip.) Made by the Josef Bauer family, Bauer rosé is crafted from the Blauer Zweigelt variety. If you’ve ever tasted any Austrian wines, you’re probably familiar with Zweigelt – it’s one of the most common red grapes grown in Austria. This bottle from Weingut Familie Bauer is a friendly, drinkable rosé with vibrant fruit and clean acidity. Sip it on a lazy Sunday afternoon.

Crios de Susana Balbo Rosé of Malbec 2017

Have you ever bought a bottle of wine, drank it, loved it, and cannot remember where you purchased it? That happened to me with Crios de Susana Balbo rosé of Malbec. I’m not sure where I found it, but I cannot locate it in any of my regular wine shops. This wine is 100 percent Malbec from Mendoza, Argentina and has more body than most rosés. That deep rosy color attracted me to the bottle, and I wasn’t disappointed one bit when I opened it. Experience intense berries on the nose, and on the palate, young cherries with a graceful finish. Pair it with roast chicken, seafood, and sushi, or just forget the food and rosé the day away.

Croteaux 2017 Cuvée Merlot Sparkling Rosé          

I had no idea that there was such a vineyard, and practically in my backyard. Croteaux is the only all rosé-producing winery in the USA, meaning, all you find here is rosé wines. New wines are released each March and sold out by fall. This comes as no surprise, as I’ve taste all the wines, and you can’t go wrong with any! This 2017 Cuveé merlot sparkling rosé is dry, crisp, and celebratory. It’s ideal for a toast or sharing with friends and family on that special occasion. You’ll note honeydew and white peaches in this blend of three merlot rosés.

Which rosés have you been drinking lately? I’d love to know your favorite bottles.

Also, Kosher wines? They have come a long way. 

Plus, wine is nothing without delicious food, so get in the kitchen and start cooking!