WAIRNTE
ROSÉ RISING
A New Trend for Wines
By Aaron R. Fodiman
At one time, rosé (French), rosado
(Spanish) and rosato (Italian)
wines were snickered at by wine
snobs. In the days when everyone
knew that red wine should be served with
beef, and white wine should be served with
fish, I was asked what pairs well with the
pink rosé. I responded, “Ham.”
All that has changed. This wine that
ranges from pastel shades of pink to peachy
is being served with almost everything from
fruit to oysters today. This usually crisp, dry
wine that is refreshing and has soft berry
flavors and a hint of minerals appeals to
many current wine aficionados. Best of all,
you rarely will be asked to pay more than
$15 a bottle.
Rosé is now being enjoyed all year long
and is produced throughout France, even
in Languedoc, and in parts of Italy, Spain,
Argentina, Chile, South Africa and in Oregon
and California in the United States, with
each producing its own variation of this
new favorite for casual enjoyment.
Rosé wines are made from a wide range
of grapes such as Pinot Noir, Grenache,
Sangiovese, Syrah and many other less
well-known varieties. Although these red
grapes produce white juice, when the skins
are left on for a few days, it gets enough
color to become a rosé. The resulting rosé
wine often ends up with anywhere from
11 to 15 percent alcohol, so don’t hesitate to
add ice or even make a spritzer with a shot
of seltzer. There are a lot of rosé wines to
choose from, so experiment a little to find
which of these refreshing wines you prefer.
You are sure to enjoy the easy to understand
appeal of these light and pleasant wines that
have become so popular.
132 TAMPA BAY MAGAZINE | NOVEMBER/DECEMBER 2017