Ask The Wine Ladies. Why is rosé wine so popular now?

Remy Pannier d’Anjou 2014

Dear The Wine Ladies,

I have been seeing loads of rosés showing up on the shelves in our LCBO these days. I am just wondering what’s the deal? The last time I had a pink wine was too long ago to remember. I do however recall it was terribly sweet and not to my liking. Has the tide changed in style of roses being made these days? Which grapes are used to make them and are the ones from France the best?

Jennifer, Toronto, Ontario

Ask The Wine Ladies Please submit your questions to info@thewineladies.com

Dear Jennifer

It is definitely time to re-think pink. When looking for a crisp, fruit driven, aromatic, versatile wine to pair with foods, that comes in a range of beautiful shades from light salmon, to peach, pink and even light red.

Gone are the days when rose was synonymous with sweet. The great majority now-a-days are vinified dry or semi-dry responding to the tastes of the more sophisticated wine drinker. The roses of today, though not hugely complex, deliver pleasure for the palate. They are often abundant in fresh fruit on the nose and on the palate, strawberries, raspberries, red cherries, floral notes, hints of spice often characterize them, as well as being crisp and medium to full bodied. Plus they are so versatile to pair with an abundance of foods transitioning well from a white to red depending what’s served on the platter.

True, a plethora of roses are now available in store.

The fact is that sales have soared in the last few years. They continue to charm the wine drinker with their seductive qualities. In terms of France being the go-to region, more specifically Provence traditionally regarded as the heartland for rose. Most of the wine growing regions around the world have responded to the rise in rose. They are now producing some wonderful roses to rival even the most established regions. When it comes to varietals, in Provence the roses are made with a combination of grapes which include Grenache, Cinsault, Syrah and Carignan just to name a few. Elsewhere winemakers are producing their roses using most any red grape they have planted. This could be Pinot Noir, Cabernet Franc, Shiraz (Syrah), Tempranillo, Zinfandel and the list goes on. When it comes to selecting your rose of choice here are a few top shelf ones to consider:

The #1 selling French rose in Ontario is the Remy Pannier d’Anjou 2014 made from the grape Cabernet Franc, a great buy at $13.95, with spicy strawberry, citrus aroma, just off-dry.

Remy Pannier d’Anjou 2014

Henry of Pelham Rosé VQA 2014,Niagara Peninsula,$13.95 strawberries and watermelon, crisp and dry.

From New Zealand, Kim Crawford Pansy, made with Merlot, light ruby in colour, strawberries, hints of spice, dried flowers, exuberant, tangy and delightful ($17.00)

But Jennifer as you know there are many others to consider, just jump right in and think pink the next time you’re considering which wine to drink!

Georgia and Susanne

The Wine Ladies

If you would like to learn more about rose wine please tune into our on-line radio show, The Wine Ladies, Taking Life One Sip At A Time, on”Everything is coming up Rosé” Episode 24  launches, Monday June 1st at 10:00am! See you on the air waves!