Spring sipper

Every year around this time I start thinking about dry rosé. Actually, it's usually a month or so later that it creeps into my head, but when the snow started disappearing before St. Patrick's Day, my mind turned to patio wines -- specifically, dry rosé.

Contemplating a crisp, fresh pink wine in Manitoba in March is almost like wearing white after Labour Day -- a poorly timed endeavour -- but I couldn't resist.

I (and many other wine writer/sommelier types) have long espoused dry rosé as a hidden gem -- an underrated value category that's overlooked by many because of the stigma around pink wine caused by simple, sweet (and popular) White Zinfandel.

So I'll once again put my neck out there for dry rosé, with the risk of sounding like a broken record. Here are a few reasons I think you should drink pink:

Dry rosé is a great patio wine. If you're like me, you hauled out your deck/backyard furniture last weekend and have probably already been enjoying some drinks outside. The fresh fruit flavours of most dry rosés -- strawberry, raspberry, watermelon, etc. -- are often associated with summer, making them the perfect patio wine.

Dry rosé is a great value wine. Let's not kid ourselves -- most dry rosé in the Manitoba market isn't made for serious aging. The bulk of pink wines made are meant to be aged in the car on the way home. Chill your dry rosé down (but no ice cubes -- try 15-20 minutes in the freezer), crack it open and enjoy.

Dry rosé is a great crossover wine. White wine drinkers often reel at the thought of big mouth-drying reds; similarly, red wine drinkers are often quick to turn up their nose at a white wine. As a wine typically made from red grapes in a white wine style, dry rosé hits that sweet spot that should satisfy both red and white wine drinkers. While these wines don't bring the dry grip of a red wine, there's usually at least a hint of tannin in there from the short period of time the juice is in contact with the grape skins (where they also get that pinkish colour).

It amazes me when skeptics on both sides of the white wine/red wine divide try a dry rosé -- they're almost always pleasantly surprised.

Dry rosé is a great food wine. One of the best ways to introduce yourself to one is over a meal. These wines work well with mild cheeses and salads, as well as finger food/hors d'oeuvres. Darker dry rosés bring bigger flavours, and can stand up to bolder dishes like grilled burgers or pizza. And if you like salmon, pork tenderloin or shrimp/scallop dishes and are looking for something new, dry rosé can fit into that spot often reserved for a weightier white like Viognier or a heavier red like Pinot Noir.

VI±A CHOCALáN 2010 SELECCIóN ROSé

(Maipo Valley, Chile -- $11.37, Liquor Marts and beyond)

The darkest of these three rosés, the Chocalán shows bright strawberry, mineral, raspberry and blackberry aromas on the nose, as well as a compelling sweaty edge that adds some complexity. This medium-bodied rosé is dry but fruity, with raspberry and cranberry notes marrying ripe fruit and bright acidity. That acidity keeps this Syrah-Petit Verdot blend from becoming cloying -- just barely. It's a good candidate for pork tenderloin or barbecued ribs. 86/100

PASCUAL TOSO MALBEC ROSé (Mendoza, Argentina -- around $14, private wine stores)

Ripe strawberries, mango and a combination of black and maraschino cherry aromas bring great aromatic ripeness. It's dry and medium-bodied wine, with a core of ripe, almost-sweet strawberries, cherries and watermelon on the palate. I picked this up at Fenton's Wine Merchants -- try it on the patio with a burger or grilled chicken. 87/100

JEAN-MICHEL SORBE REUILLY ROSé (Reuilly, France -- $20.19, Liquor Marts and beyond)

This dry rosé is unlike any I've tried before -- it's from the Reuilly appellation (within the Loire Valley region) and is a pink wine made from Pinot Gris, a white wine grape. However, Pinot Gris grapes are the colour of red table grapes you'd find at a grocery store, hence the colour here. The nose brings peach, mineral, light strawberry and floral notes -- somewhat similar to an Alsatian Pinot Gris. It's dry, crisp and austere -- rather than delivering piles of ripe, red berry notes, this wine brings crisp pear, watermelon, tart peach and red apple notes on the light-bodied palate. It's no patio pounder, but this atypical dry rosé would work with poached salmon, scallops or light cheeses. 87/100

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Republished from the Winnipeg Free Press print edition March 24, 2012 E4