Think pretty in pink this summer. That is, sipping your pink-colored, chilled rosé wine while sitting in a garden, on a country deck, poolside or as a simple aperitif before dinner at home. Rosé is what the French have been drinking throughout their summers for decades, since red is too heavy and whites are too acidy for hot summer days. What makes rosé so perfect for sipping casually is that it possesses a good kind of citrusy acidity that smells of summer fruits such as strawberries, raspberries, blackcurrants, peaches and melon.
Despite its fruity base, a fine blush wine should not be sickly sweet in taste like a bad white Zinfandel from the eighties, but distinctly dry. And for many, rosé wines have now become a symbol for fine vacationing or stay-cationing. André Balazs, the playboy hotelier dating Uma Thurman told The Wall Street Journal, “To me, rosé isn’t just a wine but almost a lifestyle, something which involves friendship and leisure and a specific way to enjoy a meal. It’s totally casual but supremely sexy.” While some of the world’s best blush wines come from Provence, many fine pinks come from Long Island in the U.S and Spain. Here are 5 pinks you’ll find hard to simply sip and not gulp.
1. Miraval
Did you know that Angelina Jolie and Brad Pitt have their own blush wine? With grapes that are grown on their French Provencal estate, Chateau Miraval. Similar to the couple, it’s described as “powerful and elegant with a ‘mouthwatering finish.” Good wine at its best.
Read Related: Wine Not? 10 Best Wine Ideas Worth a Taste this Year
2. Wölffer Estate Rosé
This popular Long Island pink, is actually a light copper-y color. It’s been called crisp, snappy with ripe berry fruit and a hint of pepper from the Cabernet Sauvignon. If you can’t find this one, try Channing Daughters Merlot Rosé from this NY region, too.
3. Domaines Ott
As Business Insider reports, this favorite of the world’s top sommeliers is cultivated in Provence and is describes as a pale, bone-dry pink wine with notes of lemon, peach, vanilla, and cinnamon. It’s hard to find, so pour us another one, fast.
4. Ametzoi Rubentis Txakolina
As The Street tells it, this one is not just for poolside sipping, this rosé from Spain’s Basque country is a slightly effervescent rosé that goes well with exotic dishes and grilled meats. And it’s relatively low in alcohol at 11%. Crisp, light and refreshing, and under twenty dollars.
5. Bieler Père et Fils Coteaux d’Aix-en-Provence
For under fifteen dollars, this widely available light rosé from France is a blend of Syrah, Grenache, Cinsaut and Cabernet. It’s marked by distinct strawberry and watermelon flavor. La vie est belle.
