There is nothing that a bottle of wine can’t cure! When we mention wine rose comes to mind for it’s light and fruity notes that can be paired with almost anything. Thats’ because rose wine pairing is incredibly versatile, which makes it a popular and preferred choice for dinner or a sunday brunch. Typically consumed in the summer, rose wine can be enjoyed year round. If you were wondering how to serve rose, it is best when chilled to lift it’s airy aromas and acidity.
Why America and Rose Food Pairing Were Meant For Eachother
It’s the love story of a century. An Italian – American General based in Italy is introduced to a wine called “Cinque Rose”, or “five roses” by the owner of a winery that had been the first to make rose in the country, also referred to as rosato in Italian. The Italian – American General named Charles Poletti quickly fell in love and wanted to bring cases of rosato to the states but faced challenges due to WWII and the scarcity of bottles. They both decided to use the empty beer bottles left by the soldiers to transport the beloved wine and renamed the rosato Don Piero, after the owner of the winery. The rest is history.
Rose wine is originally French and made by incorporating some color from red grape skins but not enough to be considered red wine. This may seem like a simplified explanation of rose,since there are no universally accepted definitions. You will find many distinctive characteristics of rose wines. Most rose wines are light and low in tannins with robust fruit notes that are pronounced. It is a style of wine that uses 3 production methods including blending, saignée, and skin contact.
Food to Pair with Rose Wine
What does Rose wine go with again? As much as we all love wine, it can be intimidating trying to figure out how best to enjoy it. We totally get it! So, we’ve created this quick and easy guide on food to pair with Rose wine that we think you love as much as we do:
- Our chicken parm sandwich – We couldn’t resist the opportunity to toot our own horn so we chose to do it twice! For the record, rose pairs incredibly well with fried dishes and our crispy chicken parm sandwich is no exception. This is a great rose wine pairing because of the tantalizing contrast between the crisp and light flavors of rose and the light crispiness of the chicken. Topped off with mozzarella, parmesan and san marzano tomatoes, your palate will be begging for more.
- Our chili mussels – A dry rose wine pairing works best with our chili mussels because it’s not too sweet and won’t overpower the dish. You’ll enjoy an entire bowl of mussels with spicy calamari, calabrian chiles, lemon, and sourdough. Typically served with a white wine, a rose is a delicious substitute.
- Greek chicken salad – Mediterranean dishes pair very well with rose wines, especially during a relaxing summer or fall weekend. The taste of salty feta cheese coupled with the tanginess of black olives over lettuce makes for a mouthwatering flavor bomb when sipped with rose. Since the dressing consists of lemon and yogurt, the complimentary flavors blend seamlessly for a uniquely tasty experience.
- Hummus – Plain hummus and pita chips with rose wine is the ultimate delectable appetizer. There are a lot of wine options for plain hummus but for now, we are pairing it with a medium bodied rose like a Cabernet Franc or Sauvignon Blanc. The strong fruit flavors make a wonderful complement to plain hummus and seasoned pita chips.
- Fries – Yes, fries are surprisingly complimentary to rose wine, particularly a pinot noir varietal. For those days you don’t feel like cooking and prefer to grab a large order of fries from McDonalds, remember to have a chilled bottle of pinot noir waiting at the house. You’ll enjoy the fragrant and crisp notes on your tongue as it is balanced with salt and earthy taste of fried potatoes. Other fruit flavors you’ll notice include melon, raspberry, and strawberry.
- Hamburgers – For those days you want the entire combo, hamburgers and fries are elevated with rose wine. As the unofficial food of the summer, the rich flavors of hamburgers are complementary to the light and tart notes of an Italian or Spanish rose. A simple homemade hamburger or a combo from In and Out will do too!
- Grilled oysters – Grilled oysters are another reason to fire up the grill during the summer time or anytime you like. Depending on seasonings and spices you chose, the smokiness of the grill will linger on your pallet as it’s balanced with the dry and fruity notes of rose. Tender and buttery grilled oysters with a bordeaux rose is a match made in heaven.
- Fried catfish – Did we mention that fried foods pair well with rose wine? Fried fish and rose wine is a delicious combination. Whether it’s cajun style or simply pan fried, a dry rose does wonders for a fried fish dish. Don’t forget to add fries or hush puppies with dipping sauce for this one!
- Blueberry cobbler – Rose can be paired with deserts as well and summer is never complete without a good homemade fruit cobbler. Usually made with lemon and orange zest, the fruit flavors enhance the rose wine experience and bring desserts to another level. The dryness of rose won’t overwhelm the sweetness of desserts and fruit cobblers pair well with a sauvignon.
Fun Facts: Rose Wine
- Rose has really grown in popularity recently. Nowadays, you’ll hear it mentioned in mainstream music or popular TV shows. According to Forbes, rose makes up 30% of all French wine consumption and production has increased by 50% since 2000. Around 25% of French rose is exported, with France and the U.S. responsible for half its consumption. That is a lot of rose!
- Interestingly, France imports rose from Italy and Spain. If you’ve ever had boxed wine, more than likely it was made with Spain’s rose, since they primarily make rose for export. A very small amount of Italian roses make it to America and consumption has decreased in Italy. When you do find a bottle of Italian rosato, you’ll notice a big difference in the taste right away. Rosato is made in 3 regions of Italy including Abruzzi, Lombardi, and Veneto. All regions have their own unique approach to rosato, with many deeply colored variations.
Try our Half Priced Bottles of Wine on Monday
Now that we’ve told you everything about rose wine, it’s time to try it! We have half priced rose bottles on Mondays! It’s the perfect time to try our chili mussels or our chicken parm sandwich and tell us what you think. Come back on Tuesday nights during happy hour to take advantage of our specials on 11’ gourmet pizzas and drinks. On Wednesdays, enjoy $12 pasta dishes, including our popular Not Your Nonna’s Bolognese, spaghetti and meatballs, and other mouthwatering pasta dishes.
Do you prefer to eat in? Try the Margherita Flatbread or our Sunflower Pizza made with cherry tomatoes, lemon zest, yellow squash, pistachio pesto, and sunflower seeds from our take out menu. With so many menu options to choose from, you may need more than one bottle of rose!
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