The warmer seasons are often thought of as the best time to drink rosé wine, and there are plenty of new vintages and classic bottles available to try this year from producers around the world. To get some tips on choosing the right rosé for you, we turned to Amy Racine, Beverage Director at JF Restaurants (The Times Square EDITION, The Loyal). “There's often a lot of truth in the color of the rosé,” she said. “As a rule of thumb, the paler the shade of pink, the lighter, drier, and brighter the wine. On the darker end of pink shades, we often have riper, more concentrated fruit flavors, and a little more body and roundness.”
She recommends trying a rosé from a wine region you’ve never explored before because the difference in flavors is not as extreme as it is with red wine, so you’ll likely find something that suits your palate. Rosé can be paired with lots of different kinds of food, according to Racine, but you should pay attention to the style of the wine. “For cooler days, a fuller rosé that can be served at a slightly warmer temperature [works],” she said. “Or, if having the bottle with a heartier meal like paella with chorizo or smoky barbecue, a darker, more concentrated style is a better route. If you're looking for something to sip on its own or with salads and lighter bites, a clean, dry, and pale style might be better. On a hot day, that ice cold pale rosé is especially refreshing.”
Here are ten excellent rosé wines to drink all spring and summer long.
Rumor Rose
This new rose wine, produced in Côtes de Provence, France, recently launched here in the US. It’s a blend of grenache, cinsault, syrah, mourvèdre and vermentino grapes, grown at a winery that dates back to the 13th century. Look for bright notes of peach, apricot, and coconut on the nose and palate.
To buy: $34, drizly.com
2020 Palmaz Vineyards Rosé
This 2020 vintage from California’s Palmaz Vineyards is a wonderful spring or summertime sipper, with low acidity and a crisp dryness throughout. Rose is the newest addition to the winery’s lineup, created in 2012 as a test project that the family grew to love. Look for notes of juicy stone fruit, vanilla, and a bit of spice in this blend of mostly cabernet sauvignon and merlot.
To buy: $45, palmazvineyards.com
Out East Rosé de Provence 2020
The latest rose vintage from NYC company Out East is the 2020, a clean-tasting wine with notes of berry, citrus, and pepper on the palate. In addition to working with high-quality French producers, Out East is also focused on environmental sustainability, receiving Level 3 HVE Sustainability Certification from the French Ministry of Agriculture.
To buy: $20, gramercywine.com
Antica Terra Angelicall Rosé
Antica Terra, located in Oregon’s Willamette Valley, turns to the traditions of Italy when making this rose wine, macerating the grapes on the skins for about a week. Left much longer, this would end up being a red wine. As it stands, Angelicall is an aromatic and fresh rose with a bit of pepper on the palate, perfect for pairing with rich foods.
To buy: $100, wine.com
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Unshackled 2019 Rosé
Unshackled comes from The Prisoner Wine Company, a blend of pinot noir, syrah, grenache, and mourvèdre grapes sourced from the central and north coast of California. The palate combines tropical fruit, ripe berries, and sweet melon, with a bit of acid on the finish. This would be a lovely wine to enjoy on your next spring or summer picnic.
To buy: $23, drizly.com
Nyetimber Rose Multi-Vintage
If you have not explored British sparkling wine before, this bottle from Nyetimber is an excellent place to start. The rose combines chardonnay and pinot noir with just a touch of pinot meunier, resulting in an effervescent wine with a hint of sweetness and full notes of berry and citrus. This is a great wine to pair with food, or just enjoy on a sunny afternoon.
To buy: $55, nyetimber.com
Summer in a Bottle Rosé 2020
The name sums it up, as this new vintage from Wölffer Estate combines nearly 50 percent merlot with seven other different types of grapes. The resulting wine from this Long Island vineyard has some minerality and acidity, along with notes of pear, apple, and tannin. If you are looking for something on the drier side, pick this one up now.
To buy: $26, wolffer.com
B. Stuyvesant Champagne Rosé
This Black-owned wine brand is named after the Bedford Stuyvesant neighborhood in Brooklyn, where founder Marvina Robinson grew up. She works with various vineyards in France to create the wine for her label, including this rose made up of 60% pinot noir, 20% pinot meunier and 20% chardonnay. Look for a floral nose followed by notes of currant and raspberry on the palate.
To buy: $68, stuyvesantchampagne.com
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2020 Flowers Sonoma Coast Rose
The 2020 vintage from Flowers, a California winery, is made from 100 percent pinot noir grapes sourced from estate vineyards as well as others on the Sonoma coast. It’s a crisp wine with some rose on the nose and peach, green apple, and a bit of lemon on the palate. This would pair well with some roasted fish, or perhaps some fresh roasted vegetables.
To buy: $35, flowerswinery.com
Ametzoi Rubentis Rosado 2020
This refreshing, lightly carbonated wine comes from the Basque region of Spain. It’s made from a combination of hondarrabi zuri and hondarrabi beltza grapes, both indigenous to the area. The effervescence makes this a great aperitif wine, with light notes of herbs, fresh peach, and a bit of lavender on the nose and palate.
To buy: $23, wine.com
