While the temperatures continue to rise, I think the best way to cool down is with a glass of Rosé wine. Crisp, dry & refreshing, with loads of floral aromatics & ripe juicy tastes that makes one glass turn into two…then a few more!
Rosé wines are perfect for this time of the year for many reasons – quenches your thirst, easy to drink, low-ish in alcohol (usually 11-12%) and pairs with many summertime foods – especially picnic fare. Unlike other styles of wine, Rosés can be made with any grapes – a single variety or a blend of many. Winemakers have the liberty to use anything from the vineyard to craft a Rosé wine like an artist creating a masterpiece.
Before the heat wave hits, I round up our team of Sommeliers to sample just released Rosé wines made throughout Ontario. Usually there are 50 bottles on the table of varying hues of pink made from Shiraz, Gamay, Pinot Noir and Merlot grapes. There are blends with a splash of Riesling, Sauvignon Blanc and Pinot Grigio too. It is really safe to say that EVERY Rosé is an expression of the winemaker’s talent.
How is Rosé wine made?
It’s all in the skins! The majority of grapes used in winemaking have a white flesh, so when crushed, the grape juice is white. The grape skins of red grape varieties – such as Merlot, Pinot Noir, Gamay, Shiraz, Cabernet Franc etc – contain a red pigment. After the grapes have been crushed and the juice is collected, the winemaker keeps the skins in with the juice for a few hours or couple of days in order to achieve the colour that they want for the wine.
The next step is to separate the skins from the juice and allow it to ferment into alcohol in a stainless steel tank. I have yet to come across a Rosé wine that has been barrel aged. All total, Rosé wine takes a few months to make from harvest to bottling. Whereas red wine takes a few years. Aside: red wine goes through the exactly same winemaking process, yet, the skins are left in the juice for several weeks to extract the full amount of red pigment into the wine.
Pro Tips:
*Rosé wines will not get better with age. Rule of thumb: drink before Christmas the year that you bought the wine
*Typically Rosé wines come in a clear bottle so you can enjoy the colour before opening the bottle –don’t leave on the counter, rather in a cool dark place…or better yet in your fridge!
*Chill in the fridge for 20-30 mins before serving….as the Rosé wine warms up, notice how the taste changes too.
*Rosés are not all sweet wines – trust us! (pink Zinfandel from California or those called ‘blush’ are often sweeter)
*Price points are usually $15 – 30
*Real men drink Rosé wines!
According to Bloomberg News, Rosé has surpassed red wine in popularity in France (apparently it’s been outselling white wine since 2008). In the US, sales soared 41% in 2015, meanwhile, Rosé is the fastest growing wine style in Australia….and at our Savvy Taste & Buy event this past April, of the top 5 wines ordered – 3 were Rosé!
Explore the world of Rosés
Go into the LCBO and the shelves will be stocked high of Rosé wines from all over the world. If you are wondering where to start – try one from Tavel region in France. The wineries in this small wine region near Provence exclusively make Rosé wines. Considered the benchmark for many winemakers, a Tavel Rosé is bone dry, crisp with zippy acidity. From there, explore Rosés from every corner of the wine world. And be sure to sample some from our own backyard too.
Best ones are made in our backyard…
At Savvy Company, we showcase Canadian wines, here are some that you should be on the lookout for this summer:
13th Street Winery Burger Blend Rosé VQA 2017 – $14.95, Twenty Valley (Niagara Escarpment)
Casa-Dea Estates Winery Cabernet Franc Rosé VQA 2017 – $21.95, Prince Edward County
Colchester Ridge Estate Winery ‘Red Sky at Night’ Rosé VQA 2017 – $16.95, Lake Erie North Shore
Creekside Estate Pinot Noir Rosé VQA 2017 – $23, Twenty Valley
Fielding Estates Winery Rosé VQA 2017 – $15.95, Twenty Valley
Kacaba Vineyard Rebecca Rosé VQA 2017 – $17.95, Beamsville Bench (Niagara)
Lighthall ‘Fence’ Sparkling Rosé VQA 2017 – $25, Prince Edward County
Pondview Estate Winery Cabernet Franc Rosé VQA 2017 –$16.95, Four Mile Creek (Niagara-on-the-Lake)
Sprucewood Shores Rosé VQA 2016 – $16.95, Lake Erie North Shore
Two Sisters Vineyards Rosé VQA 2017 – from Twenty Valley (a wine only available for restaurants)
Westcott Vineyards Pinot Noir Rosé VQA 2017 – $22.95, Twenty Valley
Westcott Vineyards Delphine Rosé VQA 2017 – $16.95, Twenty Valley
Get Rosé wines delivered to your deck, desk or dock!
Again this summer, we will deliver an assortment of Ontario Rosé wines that you can’t get at the LCBO. That’s right…we’ll pick out the best of the bunch & hand deliver to you. All you need to do click here to order…then make room in your fridge! Check it out at savvycompany.ca/rose
Keep cool & drink pink!