There’s a drink for every occasion… Beer for baseball, eggnog for Xmas, martinis for the girls’ night out. If we could anoint a drink the official must-swill of the summer, it would be ros© … and it seems The New York Times thinks so too…
At a 4th of July weekend bash, we were surprised that the first alcohol to disappear was the cool, fresh, pink ros©. Everyone was asking for more. And we weren’t the only ones who encountered a mad-dash for the blush. The general manager of our local neighborhood wine shop, Tangled Vine, is quoted as saying: “I’m always running out.” “People are going insane!” So if you want to pick a bottle that pairs well with BBQ, read “Ros©s of a Different Color” by Eric Asimov in The New York Times. HINT: He recommends muscular ros©s from Spain “for the guy mopping the ribs with sauce as they sizzle.”
The top wines tasted by The Times were:
1. 2010 Ros de Pacs; Par©s Balt , $11 (no.1 and cheapest wine tasted!): “As with many of these rosados, this one had a touch of residual sugar, but the sweetness was so well balanced by the acidity that the overall effect was greatly refreshing.”
2. 2010 Carnacha Rosado: Campos de Enanzo in Navarra: “…dark but steely, tangy and earthy.”
3. 2000 L³pez de Heredia Vi±a Tondonia, $24: Since most ros©s are best when they’re freshest, this one stood out since it’s only released after about a decade of aging and results in a “coppery orange wine with a captivating texture and flavors of coconut and minerals.”
To see more of the Times’ favorite ros©s, read the entire article here.
For your next BBQ, consider nixing the bucket of Budweiser and opting for a case of ros© instead” it will most certainly be a hit, and might even save you extra room for that brisket to fill your belly.
TIP: Local liquor store out of ros© like the rest of us? For another light, crisp, summery alternative, consider a Portuguese Vinho Verde (our other new seasonal favorite). Our top pick: Gazela, it’ll run you around $4 a bottle if you buy a case at Astor Liquors or around $11 individually.
