Hazy shade of... pink?

In the spirit of the summer and expanding my non red drinking selections beyond Chardaonnay, I’ve been trying some Rose’s. Its been a bit of trial and error method because frankly I haven’t had enough to know how to pick one out. I think I tend to like darker roses, but last year I had a really good Domaine Ott Rose and if I recall it was very light-a pale, but sort of dull pink. Of course, it was $35, if I recall. It was fantastic, but I wouldn't pay $35 for it.

We tried a Cali Rose that was medium pink – the Line Shack Syrah Rose a few weeks ago and it was just bleh. Almost “white zinfandel”-esque. Last week we had a Mission Trail White Merlot- it was a medium pink. It wasn’t complicated, it was almost like a simple sauvignon blanc, minus the grassiness. Crisp, clean, good for a hot day and I think I got it through a wine order for $11. That was the same price as the Line Shack and while the same level of complexity, it was so much better.

So, now I’m back on the darker pink=better thought process. Last night I had a really great California Rose that was a beautiful dark pink color-2007 Pianetta Rosato. Its 58% Cabernet Sauvignon and 42% Syrah. “A light blend of Cabernet Sauvignon and Syrah with a lot of dry fruit flavor. Made by the Saigner method, in which grapes are crushed and pink juice is removed from the must early. This process, known as bleeding the vats, results in a richer wine with more tannins and red color. Barrel fermented and aged, this light but rich wine can be enjoyed with cheeses, fruits or as an aperitif.”

We brought it to the Luce’s and it was yummy. It’s full bodied for a rose and did have a smidge of tannins. Of course, the price tag matches the yummy factor-retails for $21.

In our wine fridge we currently have a French rose that’s the same color as the Domaine Ott. Perhaps I like pale pink on in French Roses? Stay tuned-I’ll probably be posting a few more roses over the summer.