We would like to propose an official ban on the phrase “rosé season.” Wine professionals, almost without exception, eschew the concept, and are likely to be spotted in the wild consuming pink wine at pretty much any moment in time.
Here in the Bay Area, after waiting all “winter” for the rain to fall and the temperatures to drop, we eventually gave up on the hope that anything resembling winter would occur this year, and the timing of this collective conclusion coincided with the arrival of the 2014 rosés into the marketplace. As a result, the masses descended upon wine retailers, clad in floral prints and bare legs, declaring, finally, “‘tis the season.” To this, we proffer the question–when is it not??
Certainly we can all agree that a crisp Provençal rosé is one of the quintessential quaffers for a warm day spent on beach blankets or picnic tables. The suggestion of a backyard barbecue, a friendly game of bocce ball, or a sunny afternoon spent on a sailboat easily evokes imagery pulled straight from the pages of a J. Crew catalog, allowing us to envision ourselves with a glass of salmon-hued wine in hand, gleaming in the sunlight. There is something about the pairing of these idyllic pastimes and a playfully-colored beverage that makes us feel like we are living the best, most Instagram-worthy versions of our lives.
But if we set aside the mood that we want to project on those “rosé days,” and think more about the flavors and properties of the wines, it becomes self-evident that they can serve year-round as either aperitif or accompaniment to a meal. After all, in the most simplified explanation, rosé wines are simply reds that have undergone a shorter period of maceration, leaching out the same pigments, tannins, and flavors from the grape skins that carry these wine components, but in lower concentrations.
Of course, you wouldn’t pair a delicate Pinot-Noir-based Sancerre rosé with osso bucco any more than you would a delicate Pinot-Noir-based red Sancerre. The rules of logic still apply. Naturally, when the weather is cooler, we consume richer foods, and our wine pairings must follow. But just as there are lighter red wines and fuller-bodied red wines, rosé wines lie along a similar spectrum.
Darker, richer rosés made from Tempranillo, Garnacha, Cabernet Franc, Syrah, and many other varieties can work well in all seasons, and can stand up to the same foods as light or medium-bodied reds–and indeed their crisp acidity and refreshing coolness can even add a positive element to a pairing. And inversely, these wines can serve as substitutes for red wines in traditional pairings on summer days when the heat is just too much to drink anything at room temperature.
Many rosés need no food at all, and can be enjoyed equally well indoors and out, come rain or shine, or even snow. Who but the most dedicated of pessimists wouldn’t be cheered up on a dreary day by that rosy hue?
The way we see it, rosé offers wine lovers the best of both worlds–the crispness, acidity, and cool drinking temperature of white wine with the texture and often deeper, more complex flavors of red. We don’t relegate white wine to warm weather and red to cold, so why limit the amount of time we spend enjoying rosé when it is actually the perfect happy medium to consume all year round?
Some of our favorite rosés for any season:
Triennes Rosé, Provence, France, 2014
Cinsault / Syrah / Grenache / Merlot
Liquid Farm Rosé of Mourvèdre Vogelzang Vineyard, 2014
100% Mourvèdre
Domaine de Pallus “Messanges” Rosé, Chinon, France, 2014
100% Cabernet Franc
