The Summer of Rosé

Hi, all! Amie here, guest-blogging for Meghan while she’s in the glorious hills of Wine Country. I figured it would only be fitting to write about wine—or more specifically, the under-appreciated Rosé.

I took a trip to Napa this past April. Of course Napa comes highly recommended, especially if you can do a day of wine tastings at any one of the unique vineyards. I mean, why go to Napa or Sonoma if not to sample great wines, right?

I’ve recently fallen in love with the pink hue and refreshingly crisp taste of Rosé. In my experience, most people write off this style as “too sweet” or “not real wine.” And to that I say, “Have you tried a good one yet?”

Which brings me to my current, ultimate favorite—but there is good and bad news. The good news? Rutherford Hill (Napa) has an amazing 2008 Rosé. The bad news? I am not sure that they distribute locally! I shipped a few bottles home to MA, which was not cheap. You can order on their Web site, but keep in mind the shipping cost. This drier Rosé pairs very well with the lighter fare of Summertime. It’s made with Merlot and Cabernet Franc grapes, and is a light ruby color with an equally pleasing taste. It’s a fairly full-bodied Rosé, and while you can taste fruits like strawberry and plum, it is not a sweeter variety. Love it!

Next up is a 2009 Robert Oatley Rosé of Sangiovese from Australia. I picked this one up on a whim. All I knew about this wine was that I wanted a Rosé, so why not a new one! I also like Sangiovese wine, so figured I’d like this one. (It also happened to be on sale, shhhh.). While I really loved the bottle’s label, I wasn’t totally sold on its contents. (Sidenote: Yes, I do often choose wine based on its label. I blame it on being a graphic designer!) This is not a bad wine, don’t get me wrong. To me, it was just a little too crisp, with too little fruit notes. It tasted almost like cranberry in a way. However if you have an aversion to sweet wines, you may want to give this one a shot!

The third that I’ve recently been enjoying is the 2008 Mulderbosch Cabernet Sauvignon Rosé from South Africa. It’s wallet-friendly, has eye-pleasing packaging, and is simply delicious! It is so perfect for any summer meal cooked and/or eaten outdoors, and is very BBQ friendly. Again, this has the typical red hue, along with layers of strawberry, cherry, rose, and peach. It’s a tad peppery, but that keeps it refreshing and not too sweet!

Thanks so much, Amie, for writing about one of my favorite summer wines. If you get the chance, definitely check out Amie’s blog and portfolio website. 

As you all know, my favorite Rosé is from Travessia right here in Massachusetts. I have also recently discovered another favorite, Pares Balta Ros de pacs which you can get at The Urban Grape and other great wine stores, and on this visit to Sonoma I loved Amista’s Rosé of Syrah. More to come on Amista later, but if you are visiting Sonoma anytime soon, just go there. I will be back tomorrow with my regular old posting schedule. I have missed the blogging world, but it has been nice to have a few days off from everything! 🙂