They
are fashioned to be dry, expressive, and fruit-driven, which makes them
perfect for the sweltering heat of Memphis summers. Plus, this pink
wine is just plain fun. (Some people forget that drinking wine should
be fun.)

France has long produced the best rosés in the world.
However, the rest of the world is quickly catching up to its
reputation. South Africa, Washington, Oregon, and California are all
producing beautiful, mouthwateringly fruity and lusciously dry pink
wines. Most top-quality wines of this type are produced by crushing red
grapes (such as Grenache, Syrah, or Pinot Noir) and leaving the skins
in contact with the juice for sometimes mere hours. That brief time can
faintly stain the wine a subtle tone. With longer contact, it will be
darker.

The Tavel appellation in southern France is famous for producing
more darkly tinted rosés. Wineries in this area focus on the
Grenache grape, which gives their wines a spicy fruit quality and a
stony minerality. The earthy, fuller-bodied textures make them perfect
companions to hearty grilled foods. Château de Mattes-Sabran, in
the nearby Corbières district, produces earthy, razor-sharp
rosés. Their thirst-quenching ability makes them mandatory for
our sticky summers. The In Fine winery focuses on producing tasty wines
with a good quality-to-price ratio. Its white, red, and rosé are
blended wines sourced from the Ventoux region of southern France. In
Fine’s rosé is juicy and ripe with melon and strawberry aromas
and flavors. It isn’t a wine to contemplate; it is simply a wine to
enjoy.

Mulderbosch Winery is one of the most well-respected producers in
South Africa. The level of quality is consistent from vintage to
vintage and grape type to grape type. The rosé of Cabernet
Sauvignon is like a fresh red currant, with bright, fruity hints of
sweetness. However, that fruit is quickly cleaned off the palate by a
lively acidity and a dry finish.

In Washington state, the Barnard Griffin winery fashions a
delightfully bright and zippy version using the Sangiovese grape.
Tuscany’s native grape behaves a bit differently here. The rosé
of Sangiovese has aromas and flavors of dark raspberry and fresh
cranberry with a tangy acidity and round mouth-feel. Its expression of
fruit is focused and pure.

Just south of Washington, in Oregon’s Willamette Valley, lies Elk
Cove Winery. While more known for its lusciously earthy red Pinot
Noirs, Elk Cove also fashions a delectable rosé also made from
Pinot Noir. Its pink wine is loaded with cherry fruit, a round luscious
texture, and bright acidity. It’s perfectly suited to sipping on a
summertime patio.

Randall Graham’s Bonny Doon Vineyard on the surface looks like it’s
all about fun. And it is, but it’s also so much more. Graham’s Vin Gris
de Cigare is composed of the Rhône Valley varietals Grenache,
Cinsault, Roussanne, Mourvedre, Syrah, and Grenache Blanc. It’s crisp,
bright, juicy, and fleshy with ripe raspberry and rosewater notes.

Another winery that makes perfect use of Rhône grape types is
Zaca Mesa in the Santa Ynez Valley of California. Focusing mainly on
Syrah and Grenache, Zaca Mesa has produced some highly rated and, more
importantly, delicious red wines from both these varietals. Employing
this same attention to detail, Zaca Mesa produces a faintly salmon-hued
rosé with aromas of strawberry, melon, and tarragon. That
strawberry carries over to the palate, along with flavors of cranberry
and a zingy acidity.

Recommended Wines

Château d’Aqueria 2007 Tavel, France,

$20.99

Château de Mattes-Sabran 2006

Corbières, France, $15.99

In Fine Rosé 2007 Ventoux, France,

$13.99

Mulderbosch Rosé of Cabernet Sauvignon

2008 Stellenbosch, South Africa, $15.99

Barnard Griffin Rosé of Sangiovese 2008

Columbia Valley, Washington, $16.99

Elk Cove Winery Pinot Noir Rosé 2008

Willamette Valley, Oregon, $17.99

Bonny Doon Vin Gris de Cigare 2006,

California, $16.99

Zaca Mesa Z Gris 2008 Santa Ynez

Valley, California, $17.99