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Rosés offer welcome refreshment with the arrival of warm weather

Welcome to Rosé Time!
Spring has sprung, and the hot weather has arrived. In Minnesota, it always takes us a few extra weeks to be really sure the cold weather has gone for the season. Farmers markets have opened, the yard has greened up, and the mosquitoes are due any day now. That can only mean that Rosé Season has finally returned!

I’m seeing lots of articles this year that it’s always rosé season, that rosé is not just a summer drink, it can be a serious wine. I love rosé, and I agree one can drink it year-round, and some can even be aged. I must confess, I’m not one of that crowd. At our house, rosé is strictly a summertime drink. Once the cool weather arrives, the sandals get put away and the last of the rosé gets consumed.

Why? It boils down to keeping it a special wine, and associating it with all that pent up energy from the winter finally busting out in the late spring. Lunch out on the deck, late afternoon apertivo out on the deck or down in the back yard. Shorts, sandals, t-shirts and a glass of chilled rosé. If we drink it all year long, it loses that special appeal. No Thanks!

Celebrate Rosé Season
To jump-start your 2017 rosé season, here are some great ideas for dishes to enjoy with your rosé. Make sure you get outside onto the deck or patio, or out in the sun! (click on any photo for a full-size slideshow, “escape” to return)

Saturday lunch on the deck, under the big umbrella; this is rosé season!

Egg salad sandwich, a light salad, and an ice bucket full of rosé, what more do you need?

Apertivo time with some speck, aged goat cheese, olives and baguette slices, a perfect late afternoon snack

I have a weakness for embossed bottles

Another late afternoon treat, this one is hummus, carrots, crackers and some spicy charcuterie

Planeta rosé is a blend of Nero d’Avola and Syrah grapes

Planeta Rosé Sicilia DOC 2016 (sample, $16 suggested retail)
From the winery: Sicily’s signature native grape Nero d’Avola, cultivated on white, chalky soils near Noto, makes up 50% of this blend, providing delicate dried flowers, berry fruits and an undeniable Sicilian character. The balance of the blend comes from Syrah, adding notes of wild strawberry and a touch of spiciness.

My Notes:
Eye: Clear, pale orange color
Nose: Clean, medium- intensity. Darker fruit, ripe black cherries and a good amount of leather and earth.
Mouth:Dry, medium+ acidity, medium- body. Refreshing but not overly fruity which is nice to have a bit of variety compared to the prior more fruit driven rosés.

The Jean-Luc Colombo rosé is made from a combination of Syrah and Mourvédre grapes.

Jean-Luc Colombo Cape Bleue Rosé IGP 2016 (sample, $12.50 suggested retail)
From the winery: crafted in the classic Provençal style, Cape Bleue will transport you to the shimmering landscape of its coastal home. Produced using the “saignée method”, it is blend of 67% Syrah and 33% Mourvèdre, offering flavors and aromas of fresh raspberry, strawberry and notes of local herbs.

My Notes
Eye: Clear, pale pink-salmon color
Nose: Clean, medium intensity bright fruit – under-ripe cherries, watermelon rind, orange pith.
Mouth: Dry, medium+ intensity fruit, medium acidity, medium- body, bright clean and refreshing. Definitely gluggable!

Bertani “Bertarose” is made from little known Molinara grape plus well-know Merlot.

Bertani Bertarose Verona IGT 2016 (sample, $15 suggested retail)
From the winery: created by one of the Veneto’s most iconic Amarone producers, Bertarose is a unique blend of 75% Molinara and 25% Merlot. Bertani discovered that the delicate character of the Molinara grape, traditionally used in the production of Amarone, was well-suited to rosè. Flavors of cherry and strawberry intermingle with Molinara’s soft floral notes, rounded out by the addition of Merlot.

My Notes
Eye: Clear, pale orange-salmon color
Nose: Clean, medium- intensity, subtle barely ripe cherries, floral, white lilac
Mouth: Dry, medium- body, medium acidity. Bright under-ripe red fruit, cherries.

Disclosure: These wines were provided as sample by the importer, Palm Bay International. All opinions, photos and food pairing suggestions are mine.