Tuesday, May 8, 2012

The mistaken identity of pink wine

As the weather approaches “white wine drinking season”, why not have the luxury of both in one glass. The solution, Rosé.


Pink wine is not as White Zinfandel advertises, it is more complex. White Zin is made from "less than desirable" juice that is fermented to a medium sweet style. This is to hide their countless flaws and cheap juice.  Unfortunately, when most people see pink wine, they immediately think White Zin. I'm here to tell you that there are numerous amounts of pink wine that will blow your mind, let it happen! I know this because I thought the same thing until a year ago. My boss, at a local wine and gourmet store, was mildly obsessed with dry Rosé. From the first sip of a Heidi Schrock  Rosé, I was hooked. I found that the versatility of these wines is what I enjoy the most. It tastes like a red, but drinks like a white. One can pair Rosé with anything from hot dogs to turkey to oysters, which I can successfully attest.



Proper Rosé wines are made with the best of both worlds. Depending on the desired outcome, the winemakers pick a red grape and crush them. After one presses the juice, they let it sit in the skins, stems, and seeds for hours or a couple of days; instead of days or weeks like red wine.  Then, the juice is separated from the solids and goes through a fermentation period that is usually at a low temperature and slow like white wine. The result is a harmonious blend between juicy red fruits and a crisp clean finish.

So in the future, do not let the color of wine deter you from opening up new taste buds. I can promise you, it is well worth it.


The above wine was a perfect match with raw oysters.  It had lucious red rasberries and a great amount of smokiness to offset the salty freshness of the oyster!



No comments:

Post a Comment