Versatile rosé a great choice no matter the season

Opinion

Hey there, time traveller!
This article was published 07/12/2018 (2467 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

Rosé in the wintertime?

Yes! Anytime!

And it’s an especially good choice for the holidays, since that’s often when we trot out special treats like creamy cheeses, luscious dips, and seafoods of all sorts, which are great matches for rosé.

And rosé goes really well with turkey too. Rosé is a very flexible wine. Often referred to as the red wine drinker’s white wine (and why not the white wine drinker’s red wine as well?), rosé can be, despite its misleadingly delicate colour, quite robust. It’s lovely to sip on its own, and is also a great accompaniment for all sorts of hors d’oeuvres and meals. I love it with salmon and shellfish — in addition to sampling them without food, my husband, Ken, and I tried the four listed below with mussels, and they were all superb with those delicious morsels from the sea.

Most wine professionals are flummoxed by what still seems like the majority of people’s reluctance to embrace rosé. And while I agree that rosé is delightful, it’s also not something I often want a second glass of. (Unless it’s a bubbly rosé, and then, well, all bets are off.) And I’m not sure why that is. A glass, or a glass and a bit, and generally speaking, I’m done. I want something else to sip.

However, that certainly wasn’t the case when we sampled these four. We started with a glass of Chardonnay while we waited for the rosés to chill. Then, when they were equally and appropriately cooled, we got to sampling. And did we ever have fun!

As far as I can recall, I’ve never opened four bottles of wine at the same time just for my/our own sampling. I hate having unconsumed wine pushing me for days to try to find foodstuffs that match it. Thanks to the magic VacuVin wine pump and its special rubber corks, though, the wine will last for quite some time — often weeks on end if it’s properly sealed — in the refrigerator. And the VacuVin (don’t bother with any of the other brands of vacuum sealers — I’ve tried dozens of them and VacuVin is by far the best) would also make a great Christmas gift for those on your list who are into wine. And, I guess, into wine leftovers. The latter is very seldom a problem for me, but the VacuVin saves the day — and the wine! — whenever that rare occasion happens.

We had part-bottles of all but one remaining when we were done our sampling and feasting. Good thing we started early! But it really was a treat to be able to try these side by side, compare them, and assess which were our favourites. And despite them all being lovely, we did have our picks.

My hubby stunned me when he chose his two faves, not only because they matched mine, but because he always says he can’t tell the difference in wines. And he totally can. He proved it once again with this little exercise. The fact that he agreed with me is just an added bonus.

Another aside — I always have difficulty picking up much for aromas in rosés. But I thought I could detect floral notes when I first sniffed and then sipped the 2017 AIX, from Provence in France, and Ken said the same thing without any prompting from me. Then he went further.

“That one (the AIX),” he said, “just seems to have more (he hesitated to find the right word) ‘structure’ or something.”

I looked at him in astonishment.

“That’s EXACTLY what it is!” I said, very proud of his powers of detection and his choosing of the perfect word to describe the wine.

The AIX was and is truly something special. From its ultra-pale-pink colour to its rose petal and strawberry-peach aromas, it’s crisp and flinty and delicious. We loved it. It sells for $22.99. But only a half-a-hair behind was the 2016 Sables d’Azur, which I wrote about many months ago and of which I have consumed several bottles in the interim. This gently salmon-toned rosé, also from Provence, presents elements of strawberry, tangerine and peach, with hints of pepper, spice and a vague nuttiness. In its elegant, curvy bottle, the Sables d’Azur costs $18.02 at Liquor Marts.

We also really enjoyed the 2017 Sedosa Estate Winery Rosé. Pale pink and the variety of shades of rosés always astonishes me — it’s quite something to see a display of them when not even one is quite the same colour as another — the Sedosa boasts watermelon, strawberry and that lovely floral bouquet, and follows through with the same on the palate. This Spanish beauty sells for $15.99.

And last but not least, the 2017 Santa Julia Organica Malbec Rosé from Argentina. Made from 100 per cent organically grown grapes, this wine has the expected strawberry aromas and flavour, enhanced by hints of raspberry and other red fruits. A bit heavier than the other three, the Santa Julia is $15.99.

So this holiday season might be a fine time to think and drink pink! Sip this delicate yet full-flavoured treat on its own or paired with food — however you like it best. Make sure it’s appropriately chilled, then pop the cork or twist off the screw cap and enjoy!