Dirty Secret Alert: I don’t actually believe wine has a season. I especially differ with anyone who thinks you should only drink rosé wines in hot weather. Not that they aren’t wonderful warm weather wines, it’s just that I will happily put them alongside a Thanksgiving turkey or sip them while watching snow fall. However, the vernal equinox has officially passed and for those who do find themselves in need of something pink, here’s a handful of stuff to try when you’re staring down the wine aisle at your local spot trying to select something for a picnic or a party or a Wednesday at 4:45. Some are easily found in your supermarket, some might require a click or two. Some are priced for a Wednesday afternoon and some are definitely priced more for a special occasion. But they’re all good.
Attems Pinot Grigio Ramato 2014
“Ramato” or copper (orange) wine is a specialty of the Venice area and has caught on in many other regions. Though I include it with the pinks here, it’s technically almost the opposite of a rose. Rose wines are pressed from red grapes that have had little to no skin contact. Orange wines come from grapes that normally produce white wines, but whose skins have enough tint that, if left in contact with the juice for a few hours (or a few weeks) will develop a faint coppery sheen (in some cases, an almost electric orange color), a more unctuous texture and a totally different flavor profile than you’d get from the plain-white expression of that fruit. Attems is a traditional Venetian with a wildflower nose and a lot of minerality. Peach and apricot notes are prominent. It’s a great aperitif and you couldn’t ask for a nicer wine with fatty fish, antipasti, or spring veggies. Generally available for about $20, and tastes a good deal more expensive.
Urban Legend Rosato di Barbera 2012
Made in the exotic wine-country known as “Oakland,” this under-$20 rosato is a dream-date for BBQ among other things. It’s wantonly fruity but not sugary – strong strawberry note, a little cherry, a little peach. It is super drinkable, a fuller-bodied pink than you will generally find in Provence with a clear, almost watermelon-flesh color. This is a good wine for people who think they don’t like pink wine – full of surprises, low on attitude, and highly versatile. This wine’s easily found in local supermarkets where I live, but I live in California. In other markets there might be an online transaction required to get it. It’s worth doing that.
Bonny Doon Vin Gris de Cigare 2014
When in doubt about a pink wine, the original Rhone Ranger will never let you down. The 2014 Vin Gris de Cigare is a genre-defining and yet genre-defying little minx with a pale-salmon tone behind which there is an almost dizzying, but still elegant, array of continuously unfurling aromatics. Bergamot and green tea, something almost smoky, something marine, and a base of alpine strawberry and chalk. It is a lithe and vivacious wine with a very firm grip. I cannot think of a single food that would disagree with this stuff. And it’s in the $15-20 range depending on where you encounter it. Like Randall Grahm, the winemaker behind this stuff, this is a wine with serious moxie, epic wit, and a lot of layers. Always correct, always absolutely fab.
Chateau D’esclans “Whispering Angel” 2015
The only wine mentioned here that is higher on the “if in doubt, grab that one” wine is Bonny Doon’s Vin Gris de Cigare. I love Whispering Angel. The new vintage is no exception. This is a very restrained, refined, elegant rosé that kind of defines “drinkable.” It’s a people-pleasing Grenache-Syrah-etc blend with a soft approach, predominantly strawberry and citrus notes, and a lovely berry bouquet. And it’s only about $20.
SIP Rosé 2015
This is a newbie! Barry Gnekow, who is also the zeitgeist behind Klinker Brick, Educated Guess and Seven Deadly Zins among other ventures, is the unseen hand behind the inaugural vintage of this super-dry pink Pinot noir from Napa and Sonoma fruit. It has the barely-looked-at-the-skins pallor of a Provencal Grenache and a youthful demeanor. Very crisp and pleasantly acidic, strawberry on the nose with an undertone of violet; snappy, slightly spicy finish with some red plum. Picnic-friendly “Le Screwcap” technology and a $16 price point make it a park-bound Saturday no-brainer.
JM Cellars Cinsaut 2014
This Washington State beaut is a new discovery for me and I will tell you it’s probably the hardest to come by of anything on this list, so know that I included it because I think it’s worth trying. If you’re in striking distance of the Emerald City, get you to Woodinville and belly up to the bar; their site is splendid. Otherwise, take your chances online to get this small release Cinsaut. Rhone-ish style, full bodied but delicate, with a lush strawberry jam nose and fine acidity. Great seafood wine.
