New York, Pinot Noir, "Anomaly", Anthony Nappa 2011 - A nice brunch wine, this wine is very clear and is the color of light straw with a hint of blush. The wine has a light bouquet, with bringt, fresh tones of melon, citrus, and apple. I tasted honey, and a balance between citrus and melon. The light clean flavor of this wine would pair well with cottage cheese and fresh goat cheese.
Portugal, Vinho Verde, Vera 2011 - Made from young grapes with low alcohol content, this is another good brunch wine. In this case, the color is red but not as dense or purpley as a red wine. It is also fizzy. From this brunch wine, the bouquet is a bright cherry and it has a medium weight in the mouth. You could also feel the tanin but it was balanced by the juicy red fruit flavor. A fuller Rose than the last brunch wine, you could enjoy this with a ham omelet! Yum.
Hamptons Rose, Wolffer Estate 2011 - Another local wine, this Rose had an interesting flavor. The color is gold-salmon, and it is a very clear wine. It had an earthy, stone, and yeasty smell but the flavor surprised me with a smoky cherry savory flavor. It would taste good with fresh fish lightly sauteed with scallops or a salad with fish in it.
Les Baux de Provence, Rose, Mas de la Dame 2011 - a variety of flavorful red grapes were used to make this wine. It has a peach color and the bouquet was herbal with red fruits. It had a heavier feel in the mouth, with a strong sour cherry flavor and a bit of tannin. I really liked this Rose, because it had a lot of flavor without being too heavy for summer consumption. Like the last wine, it would taste good (on its own or) with fresh fish lightly sauteed with scallops or a salad with fish in it.
Bordeaux, Rose, Chateau la Gatte 2010 - Made from Merlot and Malbec, this wine is very clear and the color is deep pink and orange. The bouquet was smoky cherries and a hint of chocolate. It has very low tannin content and medium weight. The flavor is rich dark fruits with a hint of wood, and would pair very well with your barbeque meals! Another yum.
Coastal Region South Africa, Cabernet Sauvignon Rose, Mulderbosch 2011 - Another very clear wine, the color is salmon-pink. I smelled earthy, over-ripe odors and green pepper. I learned from this wine that many wines with an off-putting odor may taste just fine. This wine had medium body, and tasted of ripe, juicy fruit! FYI, "new world" wines are known for providing fruitier flavors. This wine had NO finish, so your food's flavor might last longer in your mouth. Nevertheless, the wine would pair well with simple pizzas, especially those made with freshly made tomato sauce.
Rioja, Rosado Gran Reserva, Vina Tondonia, Lopez de Heredia, 2000 - Are you ready for this wine? It will surprise you. A clear wine made from a mix of grapes from the Rioja region, this wine's color is amber and it is very clear and bright. When you smell it, though, the surprise begins. This wine smells like sherry or brandy, with spicy and woody overtones and a hint of vanilla. You feel tannin when you taste this wine, and the flavor is complex. It is so complex that there is not one flavor that stands out and defines the wine. This Rose would pair well with veal, roasted chicken, or smoked pork. In other words, it doesn't suggest summer like most Roses ... which only proves how varied the varietal really is!
You might have noticed how some of these wines do not specify that they are a Rose. There are other ways of identifying a Rose, and some names are below. If the names don't work, eyeball the wine. If it isn't white or red, and it is summer time, the odds are that it is a Rose.
Name
- Pink white
- Rose
- Rosato
- Rosado
- Blush
- Vin gris
- Clairet / claret
- Oeil de Perdrix
Dry, off-dry, semi-sweet, sweet
Crisp, light, fruity, robust, savory, lean (not much fruit)
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