The movie “Barbie” might not have won all the Academy Awards, but it revived an interest in the color pink. For those of us who drink wine, pink means rosé!
By: Isabelle Kellogg
Posted on: April 3, 2024
In the mood for an uplifting sip of wine, not a gutsy red wine or an okay white wine? Go for a chilled rosé wine. This category has become more of a year-round wine. Why? Some rosé wines are light, drinkable—thirst quenching—on their own. Other rosé wines fall between a medium bodied white or red wine, excellent with a first course or a main course. But remember to drink these wines young; they are not meant to sit around in your cellar!
Looking to match our mood for spring, we sampled rosé wines from France, Italy, California and even Texas Hill Country. France’s marketing campaign for rosé wines opened the doors for other producers around the world to up their game. Rosé wine is everywhere!
One of most unexpected regions in America, Texas Hill Country, has a “terroir” (climate, elevation, soils) suitable for grapes used to make dry rosé wine. In a fine sandy soil with some limestone, Cinsault, Grenache, Mourvèdre are the red grape varietals used in the 2023 Dandy Rose—owned by female wine maker Rae Wilson—to make its dry pink wine in the Texas Hill Plains AVA, a regulated region for viniculture in the US. I was impressed with its aromas of white peach and apricot mixed with flavors of strawberry. Equally impressive is Elisa Christopher’s Texas High Plains 2022 Cinsault rose. An elegant, deep pink rosé wine with strawberry and guava on the nose and red berries on the palate is food friendly.
The Vice in Napa Valley makes “Miami Vice” rosé. Sancerre inspired and made from organic Pinot Noir grapes grown in Carneros, the 2023 is savory, with minerality and hints of strawberry and orange blossom.
Let’s turn our attention to Provence, France, considered the epicenter of rosé wines. Try not to get carried away by whimsical bottle shapes and labels and wines that aren’t worth a second sip! Here are three outstanding rose wines we recommend. Esprit Gassier 2023 is a delicious blend of Grenache, Syrah, Rolle, Cinsault grapes. Winemaker Léa Rouyet grew up in the Pyrenees surrounded by fauna, flora. Gassier lies at the foothills of the Sainte-Victoire mountain and this wine is inspired by the French Impressionist painter Cezanne.
La Mascaronne’s vines are planted on distinctive stone-walled terraces. Certified Agriculture Biologique since 2016, the estate’s vineyard is a single, continuous plot of land surrounded by oak and olive trees. Cinsault, Grenache, Syrah and Rolle grapes are used in its rosé. The 2022 release is peachy on the nose, while the citrus fruits are refreshing on the palate with notes of pineapple.
Italy produces rosé wines with a little more substance—a satisfying alternative to a white wine. Frescobaldi’s Alìe is an elegant rosé with subtle ruby hues. Made with Syrah and Vermentino grapes, there are tantalizing aromas of white flowers, wild strawberries and citrus fruit rind with a hint of minerality on the palate and a rich finish. Cantina Zaccagnini Cerasuolo from Abruzzo, where Montepulciano dark red grape wine reigns supreme is Cherry pink. The bouquet is fragrant wild strawberries with nuances of pomegranate and slight hints of aromatic herbs. The result is a rosé that’s fresh, acidic and flavorful, almost salty.
Rosé wine has a low alcohol content and is enjoyed more leisurely. Don’t be afraid to add more ice to your glass or spritz it up with seltzer water— rosé wine can be enjoyed in so many different ways, always bringing a smile and some sunshine when you take a sip.
In addition to a career in communications and marketing focused on the luxury lifestyle sector, including co-authoring and lecturing a case study on French heritage jeweler Mauboussin with Harvard Business School, Isabelle continues to share her experiences about fine art, wine, travel, jewelry and culture as a freelance writer for internationally based digital publications.
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