Rosé all Day

Rosé is every day

BY MARLA MORRIS

FOUR FAVORITES THAT WILL KEEP YOU COMING BACK FOR MORE

We’ve heard all the catchphrases: “Rosé All Day” “Slay then Rosé,” “Fifty Shades of Rosé” and the inevitable reference to the millennial “pink” state of mind. Rosé is enjoyed all over the world. It’s not just a phase. Rosé is here to stay!

Now, let’s get geeky.

It’s the 1980s and the ladies are sitting around the kitchen table, ending the day with a drink with friends.

What are they drinking? White Zinfandel of course. Pair that with a good cheese ball and Ritz crackers and you have a night made for the ages.

White Zinfandel came about as a fortuitous mistake from a batch of Zinfandel by the Sutter Home Winery in the 1970s. To this day it's one of the few wines that consistently sells out for both Sutter Home and Beringer.

The versatility of Rosé comes from the artistry of the winemaker. Rosé can be made from any number of grapes: Pinot Noir, Grenache, Syrah, Merlot, for example. The exotic fruit, strawberry- and watermelon-flavor profile with a not-too-sweet finish keeps many coming back for more. Rosé is made all over the world and the process differs from country to country and small wine region to large, often changing based on the grapes involved and the style of the region.

What should you drink? Here are four favorites that keep this wine lover coming back for more and food pairings that will make your next soiree a complete success.

Provence Rosé: Domaine OTT BY. OTT Cotes de Provence Rose

• The lush waving fields of lavender around Avignon and sweeping views of the Mediterranean Sea's blue crashing waves of Marseilles are conjured up while sipping on the rosé of the Provence region. It's no wonder Provence Rosé explodes during the summer months; its delicate palate and lively finish are a welcome respite from the heat. • Grenache is the top grape varietal used in Provence, where flavors of strawberry, raspberry, and watermelon candy finish with a zesty lemonlike acidity. Domaine OTT in particular boasts flavors of white peach and exotic fruits finishing with yellow fruit and citrus. • Grenache Rosé is best paired with the flavors of the region: aromatic spices, Mediterranean flavors and nightshades (tomato, peppers and eggplant).

ROSÉ

Pinot Noir Rose: Elk Cove Pinot Noir Rose - Willamette Valley, Oregon

• Pinot Noir has become the darling of Oregon: and where there is red Pinot Noir, there is Rosé of Pinot Noir. Oregon shares similar weather to the famous Pinot Noir-producing region Burgundy, France and produces stunning Pinot Noir and gorgeous Rosé. • Elk Cove Pinot Noir Rosé boasts scents of watermelon, grapefruit and white flowers finishing with faint notes of kiwi. • Pinot Noir Rosés tend to be a fuller-bodied rose style, so try these wines with traditional French herbs and spices on chicken or with any of your summer-grilled fair such as chicken, pork or corn dishes. Try green herbs and floral spices to bring out the sweeter more subtle fruit flavors.

New York State Rosé:- Wolffer Estate Summer in a Bottle

• Our northern neighbors have done a bang-up job of blending wines that usually stand alone as a single varietal bottle. They blend Merlot, Chardonnay, Cabernet Sauvignon and a few others to create a mouthwatering summer rosé. • Straight from Long Island and the Hamptons, we all get to revel in the sand dunes and floppy hats of the other posh island and one of its signature beverages — a crisp, refreshing rosé that never disappoints. • Bright pink and copper, this wine shines with clean fruit notes of pears, apples and peaches-no cloying sweet fruit here! There is a nice acidity and classic minerality that fills your mouth and pairs incredibly with summer appetizers like smoked salmon, shrimp and soft spreadable cheeses. A great complement with dinner main courses of fish and pork.

Italian Prosecco Rosé: Riondo Prosecco Rosé

• The favorite bubbly of brunches now has a delicious pink cousin. As of January, Italian Prosecco producers were allowed a new designation of their star sparkling wine. The new rules allowed for the addition of Pinot Nero (otherwise known as Pinot Noir) to the mix with Glera standing as the principal varietal in Prosecco. • Think of this as a before-and-after Rosé: before appetizers or after dinner. Riondo Prosecco Rosé has a light effervescence that dances around your mouth with aromas of raspberry and juicy peach finishing with a golden yellow apple flavor. • Pour this as you're preparing a meal, as your guests arrive, or with light appetizers as you watch the sun go down at the end of day. Pair with salads, light summer dishes or add a little sparkle to a cocktail. Trying pouring this over your favorite sorbet or gelato.

Enjoy Rosé inside, outside, at the beach, grilling out, under the stars or at the bar: Rosé is every day!

Marla Morris is the Wine Buyer at Rollers Wine & Spirits.