Just cause it is pink don't make it a blush Zin

One of my favorite wines to drink are the rose' wines from France. The first warm spell we had this spring my daughter looked at me and said: "It is warm and sunny outside, it's rose' time!"

Rose' wines are nothing like the stuff you see on the grocery store shelf. That "blush" Zinfandel is nasty sweet and ghastly to drink. Rose' on the other hand, is crisp, dry and refreshing. They are great summer wines meant to go with grilled chicken or shrimp or simply as an aperitif.

Where does it get that color? Well in some countries the pink color comes from blending red wine with white wine. In France that is not legal so the short answer is the color comes from the juice from red wine grapes that has stayed in contact with the grape skin for only a short time before being drained out. The longer the juice stays in contact with the skins, the darker the wine. This is why a Cotes du Rhone rose' is darker than a Cotes du Provence rose'.

Most rose' used to be a by-product of making red wine. The vintner would simply draw off some of the juice he was making red wine from and bottle it as rose'. Now as rose' is gaining in popularity, more and more vignerons are harvesting grapes specifically to produce rose'.

There is an ocean of good quality rose' wines out there so what, if any, is the difference? Most every where that wine is made, produces a rose' wine but France produces the most. And most of the French rose' comes from Provence in the southeast part of France. I prefer the Cotes du Provence rose'. They are very light in color and have a delicate taste that you can't get from the darker versions. The Languedoc rose' are similar. Some of the chateau in Bordeaux bottle a rose' wine but refer to it as clairet. These also can be quite tasty.

Rose' wines are meant to be drunk young so look for 2009 and 2010 vintages. Any older than that you will be disappointed.

Most rose' wines can be found for under $20.00 a bottle and many between $10.00 and $15.00. There are some like Domain Ott that sell for over $40.00 and a few for has high as $90.00. Well if I'm not spending $90.00 for a grand cru burgundy I'm sure not spending it on a rose'

What am I pouring? See the picture! This is Domaine Houchart 2009. I also like one called Whispering Angel produced by Sacha Lichine. Both should be easy to find.