As I write this, summer is approaching quickly. Here in Florida we’ve been enjoying (suffering?) 90 plus degree temps for over a month. Not for the first time this year have I started licking my lips and thinking about dry rosé wine.

            Now, I know we’ve travelled this road before on this blog site, but I’m pretty adamant about the charm of these wines and my hope is to inspire just a few more people to discover the pleasure of pink.

            The word is spreading. Not too long ago you’d be hard put to find a restaurant in the U.S. that served a dry rosé – even though in the old world dry rosé is considered to be the perfect pairing to so many foods. Now these wines are all over the place. Go to a supermarket in the south of France and you’ll find dozens if not hundreds of dry rosé wines to choose from. (I must admit, however, that the supermarkets near me here in Florida have not jumped on the bandwagon yet. In the name of research I visited a number of stores and could find nary a bottle. Never mind, here at ABC we always have plenty to choose from!)

            Rosé, of course, is not just one wine – there are many types and styles. It can be made from a large variety of red grapes. Many rosé wines are light or medium-bodied but others can be lush and jammy. Some can be delightfully fruity while others can be bone-dry and show crisp, mineral, or steely qualities. While you should drink most rosé wines young and fresh, some can be aged for a considerable time. While often fermented in stainless steel or concrete tanks, some winemakers prefer to give their rosé wine the oxidative approach by fermenting in neutral oak barrels. And while rosé is often thought of as a summer drink, in the right setting and with the proper food pairing it can also bring pleasure to a crisp winter day.

            I think the thing I like most about dry rosé is its simplicity. I’m a man who finds great enjoyment in simple things. First of all the wine is comparatively inexpensive and sometimes downright cheap. Yet its quality shines through. It doesn’t try to be something it’s not – a rosé wine is simple and honest. It refreshes. It prepares the palate for food. And while it can pair very well with more complex dishes – from Asian and Mexican cuisine to seafood and shellfish (rosé exists, as someone said, because fish soup exists) and many chicken and even lamb dishes – the beauty of it is that it works so well with simple food.

            When I think of dry rosé I think of a plate of whole almonds with an olive oil drizzle and sea salt. I think of olives in olive oil, grated lemon zest, and thyme. I think of pissaladiere, which is cheeseless onion pizza with garlic, thyme, olives, and (optional) anchovy fillets. I think of a good, simple sandwich – prosciutto, say, or soppressata with butter on a fresh, crusty baguette. Why do we always complicate sandwiches here with a chaotic mixture of meats, cheese, lettuce, tomatoes, pickles, and an uneasy assortment of condiments and chips, when the simple thing gives such great flavor and enjoyment?

            Especially with a glass of dry rosé!

            (BREAKING NEWS: Coming very soon to ABC – magnums of La Vielle Ferme Rosé! I’ve been petitioning Brad Lewis, our Director of Wines here at ABC, for some time to bring in 1.5 liter bottles of this stuff because as far as I’m concerned – with dry rosé one bottle is never enough. And at a regular price of $12.99 this stuff is a steal! I hope that all of us who have come over to the pink side will take advantage of this. Otherwise I may have to drink it all myself.)

Bill Stobbs, ABC Wine Supervisor