The cheery pink colour and fresh, fruity aromas make rose wine a favourite summer tipple – pairing well with light picnic finger foods and long al-fresco evenings. But as the temperatures drop, sales of rose wine have failed to follow suit – suggesting that the British love affair with rose wine has become more than just a summer romance.
Traditionally, the winter weather has called for robust reds and hot steaming mugs of mulled wine have long been a traditional drink, from cosy evenings by the fireside to lively Christmas parties. But with rose wine an increasingly popular tipple among British wine drinkers – more than 10 per cent of all wine sales are now rose varieties – it is no longer uncommon to see the pink stuff being sipped even during the coldest months of the year. And it seems this lingering love affair is not restricted to the British – the United States has seen sales of rose wines soar by some 20 per cent in recent years. With increased sales comes increased variety and the wine buying public is now wising up to the potential of rose wines as a versatile drink that encompasses many styles.
Rose wines are produced from countless grape varieties and in countless wine-growing regions. Among the most prolific producers is France (where else?), while Spain, Portugal, the USA and Italy are other big producers. The sheer variety of roses on the market means that there is something to suit most occasions and most tastes. As a rule of thumb, paler rose wines have a relatively delicate flavour, while darker versions are largely bolder and more robust.
While rose might seem an unusual choice of ‘cold weather’ wine, its popularity with both red and white wine drinkers makes it a good choice during the party season. Typically a more ‘easy drinking’ wine than many reds, it goes as well with party nibbles as it does with picnic food and changing public perceptions of rose wines mean that even the snootiest of white wine aficionados is unlikely to turn their nose up at the idea of a cool glass of rose on a chilly winter evening.
Of course, not all rose wines or indeed white wines are created equal and what may be perfect on a lazy summer evening may fail to hit the spot during the winter months. Different occasions call for different types of rose and the increasing number of rose options on the supermarket and off-license shelves can make it difficult to decide just which bottle to plump for. When looking for party wines, a light, easy-drinking rose should do the trick nicely as an alternative to white wine. After all, the aim is to fill the party with Christmas spirit rather than have the gathered throng musing over the complexities of the wine in their glass. Sparkling rose wines are always a popular choice at parties and a pink Champagne or Cava is the ideal companion to pre Christmas dinner nibbles. And rose needn’t be overly sweet in the manner of the much-maligned white Zinfandel – there are some excellent dry roses on the market – rose Cabernet Sauvignons are a good choice for parties, being light on the palate while appealing to even the most serious of wine drinkers. There are some good Spanish roses, too and those made from the Grenache grape tend to go down well.
If you’re looking for a rose wine to enjoy at home, you might want something with a bigger, bolder flavour. Spanish Garnacha wines are typically bold and full-flavoured and pair very well with many different food dishes. When it comes to enjoying rose wine with food, there’s absolutely no reason why rose fans shouldn’t go the whole hog and enjoy a pink wine with the most important meal of the year – Christmas dinner. Red wines can be a little heavy with all that stodge and starch and many rose wines are incredibly versatile – pairing well with everything from the turkey itself to Christmas pudding and mince pies. Darker, bolder wines, such as those from the Southern Rhone Valley, are a good pairing with the main meal, while sweeter and lighter varieties can make a nice alternative to dessert wines when it comes to pudding.
Essentially, wine drinking should be all about enjoyment – there is no right or wrong time of year to enjoy rose wine and its growing sales figures suggests that wine lovers everywhere are casting aside notions of rose wine as a summer ‘patio wine’ and embracing it all year round. So let’s raise a glass to rose – whatever the weather.
What do you think? Can you drink rosé whatever the weather?
