By Jessica Norris Granatiero

Daylight savings time has occurred, and spring is almost here. Warmer weather will soon be approaching; we hope. With that in mind, I thought I would discuss rosé wines. Typically, I write about these wines closer to summer, but rosé wines are selections that we enjoy all year, not just during the hot months. Vineyards send them in vast amounts during the spring months. These beautiful, pink-hued wines are delightful partners for many different cuisines, including the Easter table that some will be focusing on in just more than one month. Now you can prepare ahead. Let’s review some of the basic details. 

Is rosé a red or white wine?

Rosé is a type of pink-hued wine that gives us a spectrum of colors and styles – dry, off dry and sweet. Rosé wines are made from red grapes! When grapes are pressed, the extracted juice is clear most of the time, regardless of whether the grape is white, or red. Red and rosé wines receive their color from the juice’s contact with the grapes’ skins, not from the juice that is pressed out of the grape. 

For rosé wines, winemakers allow the grape’s juice to soak with the skins for only a short period of time, usually hours. For red wines, the grapes’ skins and juice remain in contact for days or weeks; hence the reason the wine is red. Each winemaker makes her and his decisions on how long the skins and juice should remain in contact – based on the resulting color and taste that she and he want to achieve. After this, the wine then goes on its way to fermentation.

Rosé wines

Rosé wines are great food partners, having the ability to pair with lighter dishes, like salads and shellfish, as well as grilled meats. While France is a renowned region for producing rosé, these selections are made in many countries. Rosé wines also have different price points (from less than $10 to some more than $100). However, it is not necessary to spend all your budget on a good rosé. Try a rosé during this season, at home or at a restaurant! 

Here are four of my top rosé picks for this season. Venture out and explore.

Prisma rosé of pinot noir, Chile: Made from the pinot noir grape, this rosé is from the Casablanca Valley region in Chile. It has a vibrant nose of watermelon and passion fruit while the palate gives us hints of strawberry and black cherry notes. It only sits with the skins of the grapes for two hours, thus giving it a very light pink hue. It is stainless steel fermented and sits on its lees for two months, giving it a fresh vibrancy and nice roundness on the palate. It pairs best with grilled shrimp, sushi, and grilled salmon with a mango chutney. Less than $20

Stolpman Vineyards Love You Bunches rosé, California: From California’s Central Coast region, this is a grenache blend that also is only stainless steel fermented, showing a crisp, refreshing style. It exudes strawberry and watermelon notes on both the palate and nose. A pretty light salmon hue, it has the perfect amount of acid, making it a great partner for various cuisines as well as enjoying on its own. Pair it with grilled tuna atop jasmine rice with roasted asparagus, turkey tacos with a mild salsa, and grilled pork chops with roasted red bliss potatoes and sauteed cauliflower. Less than $25.

Chateau Berne Romance rosé, France: This beauty is a blend of grenache noir, cinsault, syrah and a little merlot from the warm and sunny area of France’s Mediterranean. It has a unique glass stopper and bottle shape, making a statement in appearance, and also taste. Quite light in color, it presents us with great aromatics on the nose, while the palate gives us strawberry, citrus fruit and raspberry notes. It also was rated 90+ points by various wine writers. Pair with grilled duck breast with a Bing cherry sauce, grilled lamb lollipops atop mashed sweet potatoes and roasted brussels sprouts mixed with pecans. Less than $20.

La Spinetta rosé of sangiovese, Italy: This is from Tuscany, Italy and made from organically grown sangiovese grapes. It has bright cherry and raspberry notes that meld together beautifully. The palate emulates the nose, and it rounds out at the end with a nicely acidic profile. It is vivacious and pairs well with Arugula salad with goat cheese and dried cranberries and grilled chicken breasts atop risotto with mushrooms and rosemary. Less than $25.