Drink Pink This Summer On The Patio

After 3.5 hours of actual spring in South Dakota, the winds of the fifth winter have finally died down, ushering in the most magnificent season of the year: PATIO SEASON! 

 It’s that wonderful time of year again, when I can don my strappy heels and a big floppy hat, relax on a patio in the sunshine with the people I love most, and have a refreshing bottle of wine. But what wine to choose? 

White wines are great- I mean you know how I love my Vermentino’s, and I love a great cabernet, but this summer I am leaning into drinking pink! Rosé is the way for me to go this summer.   

What is Rosé you say, well let’s get into it! 

In truth, Rosé wine comes in a variety of shades of pink and is a wine that falls somewhere between white and red.  The method of making rose in fact enables the wine producer to dictate the shade of the wine; just about every grape varietal has been used in the process.   

Maceration is the technique that produces Rosés most often.  Because grape juice is white and some grape skins are red, winemakers will allow the skins to steep in the juice.  The shade of pink that is created gets darker the longer the skins steep. 

How to Rosé

When talking about flavor profiles of Rosé, you will find grapefruit, strawberry, tart cherry, raspberry, blood orange, and even tomato and red pepper on the spectrum. Rosé can be sweet or dry, so when ordering, if your palate leans toward sweeter wines, look for wines that are made with white zinfandel or white merlot.  

I’m a girl who likes drier wines, so I lean into the Sangiovese and Grenache blends.  Pinot Noir and Syrah are also very common in Rosé blends. France and Spain are both renowned for their Rosé.   Don’t count out those small wineries with passionate owners, they love their product and can be really surprising. 

 If you are at home serving up a Rosé, you can use a general-purpose white wine glass or you can get a specialty glass.  What you are looking for in your glassware for Rosé is something with a small bowl to help keep the wine cooler and will position your nose as close to the aromas as possible. 

 I don’t recommend a stemless glass as the heat of your hand will warm the wine plus fingerprints are yucky on a glass.  A tall glass makes me feel elegant and sophisticated anyway! 

So this summer, drink pink! Grab a glass and hit the patios with a new Rosé. Sweet or dry, you are sure to capture summer when you are relaxing on the patio with your favorite Rosé. 

Comment below on some of your favorite Rosés, and your favorite places to enjoy them!