My Rosé All Day Wine Tasting
It is officially summer 2020. Can you believe we are here already? The summer’s favorite pink hue, Rosé is back in rotation. Sure to be featured poolside, at backyard barbeques, or a virtual tasting. Rosé is more than a drink, it’s a trend, turned lifestyle for Rosé lovers. Rosé is typically consumed during the summer, but it is also a wine that can be consumed year around.
I like to drink wine according to the season and I typically drink Riesling or Sauvignon Blanc in the summer. I briefly tried Rosé several years ago and recently decided I wanted to explore more Rosé styles to see if I wanted to be a part of the Rosé All Day trend. Aahhhh! I am so glad I re-discovered Rosé . Walking down the aisle of my local wine store and seeing all the various shades of Rosé, gives me summer vibes. Do I choose a wine from Provence which is well known for its Rosé? Or should I try Wolffer Estates, because you know the bottle is EXQUISITE. With so many different Rosé on the market, how do I know which one to choose? I decided to conduct my own experiment. I tasted five different Rosé wines from different regions, and different grape varietals to see which Rosé was my favorite.
Brand: Matua
Region: Malborough
Varietal: Pinot Noir Rosé
Year: 2018
Matua
This wine is from the Malborough region of New Zealand and the heart of winegrowing in New Zealand. Its sunny, but cool climate, makes it the perfect location for fruit forward wines such as Pinot Noir. The Matua bottle is equipped with a “Chill Check” feature, so you know its chilled to the appropriate temperature and ready to drink. On the nose there were aromas of fresh strawberries and peach. The taste on the palate was very similar with a small level of minerality on the finish. I enjoyed this Rosé poolside. While this one wasn’t my favorite, it’s definitely worth trying at the price point of $10.00 per bottle.
Brand: Cecilia Beretta Freeda Rosé
Region: Trevenezie
Varietal: Corvina, Cabernet Sauvignon, Carmenere
Year: 2017
Cecilia Beretta Freeda Rose
This Rosé is from a boutique region in the Veneto region of Italy. The color of this Rosé was very delicate, due to the short maceration on the skins. On the nose, there were hints of cherry, with undertones of honey. On the palate, there were hints of spice due to the Cabernet Sauvignon. The finish had hints of minerality. I paired this with a Lemon Butter shrimp pasta which was perfect to balance out the acidity of this Freeda Rosé. Still not my favorite, but I enjoyed the balance of spice and fruit.
Brand: Landonnet
Region: Bordeaux
Varietal: Cabernet Franc & Merlot
Year 2018
Landonnet
This Rosé is from the Bordeaux region of France, where it is common to blend Cabernet Sauvignon and Merlot. This producer blended Cabernet Franc, the parent grape of Cabernet Sauvignon and Merlot. The aromas were melon, oak, and subtle undertones of honey. The taste had hints of spice but unbalanced amounts of acidity. This was my least favorite of my Rosé selection.
Brand: Mumm
Region: Napa
Varietal: Pinot Noir & Chardonnay
Mumm Napa
This sparkling Rosé was made using the traditional grapes used to produce Champagne. The color was a beautiful blush pink hue, that just screamed SUMMER! This Rosé was very easy to drink with flavors of citrus, red fruit, and a crisp finish. Although I like my Rosé dry, there was a hint of sweetness that made this Rosé my favorite. While I didn’t pair this with food, it was a versatile wine that could be paired with barbeque, seafood, or a nice summer salad.
Brand: Garnacha Lagranja
Region: Spain
Varietal: Garnacha
Year: 2018
Lagranja
Spanish wines are usually good budget friendly wines for the quality. This Spanish Rosé was a deep reddish pink color. It was the darkest of the Rosé I purchased which usually means the grapes had a longer maceration period. This Spanish Rosé had aromas of strawberry and cherry with a smooth balance of acidity. For the price point of $4.99 a bottle, this would be a nice wine to have at a picnic in the park.
With so many different Rosé on the market its hard to select a favorite. This summer, Mumm Sparkling Rosé will be in primary rotation until I stumble across a new favorite. There is more than one way to Rosé, right?
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