The wines we call Rosé ~ a handy “umbrella term” ~ can run the gamut from delicate and bone dry to rich, bold and fruity. Colors vary widely, from pale copper and “onion skin” to raspberry and garnet.
They’re made from dozens of grape varietals and blends, all over the world. (See pic, left, for bottles from California, France and South Africa.)
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They go by lots of different names, too: Vin Gris, Blanc de Noirs, Rosato, Rosado or various “proprietary names” devised by their wineries.
And when they’re good ~ which these days is pretty much the norm ~ they’ll deliver an amazing bang for the very few bucks they cost.
They’re great on their own, and they pair well with an amazing range of foods ~ *especially* those you *don’t* usually associate with wine.
What’s more, they’re a terrific welcome to warm weather. And now that it’s Spring (with apologies to Stephen Sondheim!) ~ Everything’s coming up Rosés! 
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Hmmmm. Wordplay and tasty vino…
Must be time for another WebTalkRadio show, hosted by self-described bad-ass, Michelle Colston. (My on-air visits as Michelle’s “wine guru” are a monthly thing now, btw.)
Michelle invited me back to talk about, as she puts it, “the black sheep of the wine family ~ Rosé,” and how “what used to be misunderstood as cheap and sweet is now trending on the wine scene.”
Here’s a link to our “Drink Pink” show. *Join us* as we talk about…
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••• How Rosé can bring the best of both white and red wines to the table
••• How Rosé can be the most *un*intimidating wine to shop for and enjoy
••• Why Rosé once got a bad rap, and how that’s changing
••• How Rosé brings value, versatility and a refreshing change of pace
••• How Rosé can solve your tricky food-pairing dilemmas (Michelle, in fact, calls it “the beer of wines.”)
••• Meals that Michelle and I like to cook (including new recipes) that make great partners for Rosé (see pics, below and right)
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Speaking of which, here are a couple of sneak peeks at my latest recipe-testing adventures. They’re for my upcoming pasta book, which I’m releasing on Amazon in June.
Above: a “Frutti di Mare” combo (mixed seafood in tomato sauce) with mussels, clams and shrimp, served on shell-shaped pasta.
At left, my pasta-lover’s twist on the classic Salade Niçoise from the South of France (home of some *great* Rosés, by the way). It features tuna, anchovies and hard-boiled eggs, plus potatoes, several vegetables, and bowtie-shaped pasta.
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That pretty, cranberry-colored vino alongside it is the downright delicious “Rendezvous Rosé” from Carol Shelton Wines in Sonoma County.
I had enjoyed this beauty, a five-varietal blend consisting mostly of Carignane, at a couple of recent wine events.
The first was the Pinot Noir Summit, where Carol Shelton herself was pouring it (see pic). (*Click Here* for story and pics, and *Click Here* for the fun video.)
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I came across the “Rendezvous Rosé” again (but without knowing what it was) while judging the North Of The Gate Wine Competition last month.
My four-person panel was presented with a “flight” of California Rosés, based on everything from Pinot Noir to Merlot to Mourvedre.
(Check out the *amazing* range of colors in the pic above. Their flavors were even *more* varied!)
Though we awarded medals to all of them, only one earned a coveted Gold. You guessed it. It was the “Rendezvous Rosé,” which then went on to win “Best of Class” in the final Sweepstakes round of the judging.
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In mid-June, I’ll be judging once again at the San Francisco International Wine Competition. As always, I’ll bring you behind the scenes with me.
Before that, though, I’ll be releasing my first two Drink Wine With Dinner® eBooks (Introduction and Great Flavors…) on Amazon, in both Kindle and print formats.
Actually, they’re both available *now* ~ for *free* (as PDFs) ~ to my subscribers.
So if you haven’t already done so, why not head to the handy “Sign Up Now” box (upper right). Then just fill in your (first and last) name and email addy, and both eBooks will be yours!
The pasta book will follow soon after that. I’ll keep you posted!
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As always,
Cheers, my friend,
Rosina
PS ~ I now have a new-and-*greatly*-improved YouTube channel!
Come check out my growing collection of videos ~ http://www.youtube.com/user/DrinkWineWithDinner.
Click around and enjoy! (You can also help me build back the “views” I lost after converting the old channel…)
And stay tuned for *lots* more video interviews, winery and restaurant visits, and step-by-step recipe “how-to” videos.
Cheers,
R
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*Pink*Drink*Pink*Think*Pink*Drink*Pink*Think*Pink*Drink*Pink*Think*Pink*Think*Pink*
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