Summer of Rosé: The Results

How do rosé wines stack up against the flavors of summer? While city life makes it tough to grill outdoors, I improvised on the stove-top griddle. To test this, I ventured to the local farmers market and butcher and ended up with a pretty decent menu for the weekend.

Hamburger

French Fries
Fresh watermelon

Pork Chops

Grilled Tomato
Corn on the cob
Potato salad

 

Tortilla chips

Pretzels
Snap peas & broccoli
Spinach & artichoke dip

 Our first dinner was a mixed bag. The fruitiness of the Bordeaux well balanced the watermelon, and hints of minerality popped against the heartiness of the burger slathered in mustard and ketchup. The light, sweet flavors of the Negroamaro was buried under the flavors of the burger and fries, though it worked well with the bright, fresh flavors of the melon. The real winner here was the Pinot Noir. While its robust flavors overpowered the melon, the smokier oak notes complimented the burger, and the salt of the fries really made the flavors pop.

The snacks (meal #2) were simple, mild flavors. They didn’t stand a chance against the Pinot Noir. The sweetness of the Negroamaro proved to be an odd counterpoint to the mostly savory flavors. Overall, the Bordeaux paired the best. The subdued sweetness of the wine went well with the hints of fresh, sweet flavors of the veggies, and the hints of minerality played off the saltiness of the chips and pretzels.

For the final meal, all three wines worked fairly well. The sweet potato salad and corn paired  well with the sweet flavors in all of the wines, though the heavier berry notes of the Negroamaro may have been a bit too fruity against the corn. The tomato was a fairly simple flavor that nearly disappeared in the overall meal, but again seemed to bring out the sweeter flavors in all of the wines. Against the hearty, fatty flavors of the pork, the sweeter wines paired well, the fruitiness cutting through the richness of the pork. The more robust flavors of the Pinot Noir proved to be a bit strong, but like with the burger, smokey notes from the oak worked well with the meat. In all, this was by far the most successful round, with each of the wines having something to offer.

I declare the experiment a success. Rosé offers a range of flavors, leaning towards the fruitier side that pair well with the fresh, sweet flavors of summer fruits and veggies. The more robust flavors can compliment hearty grilled foods. And all of this holds up well to being chilled. I know we’ll be stocking up to last us through the warm months.