The Different Sides Of Summer Water

Rosé, like many other categories of wine, has always been subject to misinterpretation. Yes, some ‘White Zin’ still comes out of a slightly fatter cereal box but there are so many other fantastic styles of rose that flood our market today! Sparkling, still, light, robust. Like any other wine category, there are sub-categories of rose that trickle off the “pink wine” umbrella. 

Sparkling:

Bubbly rosé is often overlooked. It is an outcast of sorts, straying from the well-known Proseccos, Champagnes and Cavas, the royal trio that take up most of the space in the sparkling compartment of our minds. These blush bottles are frothy treasures.

The style is dependent primarily on the origin. My favorite Rosé sparkler to seek out is part of the Crémant family. Crémants are made in France, outside of the Champagne region (although using the same second fermentation method as Champange), so you’ll be sure to get the most for your dollar. Plus, who can resist the pure pleasure of popping a bottle of something fizzy (especially when it’s 90 degrees outside)!

Pale:

Provence was, and still is, the quaking center of the rosé boom. As a region Provence pushes pale lavender-nosed pink wines that are the alcoholic equivalent of Propel… you know the flavored water that comes in a blue water bottle all your friends’ parents used to drink? Fresh, easy drinking and thirst quenching!

Bandol is a sub region of Provence that highlights the dynamic side of rosé. Deeper in color and flavor alike, these bottles are the perfect food pairing roses. Tasting like rhubarb jam, freshly watered blistering hot gravel, streaks of steam rising. smoke and lavender. 

Robust:

For all the red lovers: Robust rosé is where the interesting shit is! NO, the hue of the juice does not  always indicate the sweetness of a wine, though this is a common thought among the average wine novice. One thing you can detect from hue alone is how much personality you possibly can get from the wine. The deeper the color the more likely it is that there is a dynamic party folded neatly into the bottle.

It’s hard to give an exact location of where to find these hidden gems. They pop up here and there from near and far. But year after year I find that Etna offers a funky off-the-beaten path style of rosé. These bright plum hued bottles are filled with aromas of fresh crashed raspberries, cracked pepper, and mushrooms.  

**PRO TIP** When drinking rosé that these wines are made from red grapes. So if you love Pinot Noir, ask for a rose made from Pinot. The grape used to make the wine makes all the difference. 

This summer when the heat index is higher than your standards, don’t be afraid to let your hair down and step on the wild side of rose! There is so much to discover in the vast world of summer water. And always remember to drink whatever you like, fuck the wine snobs!