Rosés are red…
If you don’t like rose, perhaps you should try some more
WELL, they are not quite red. What prompts me to write about this subject is the recollection of a recent discussion I had with friends, about rosés. I ended the discussion like this “If you think you don’t like rosé, you just haven’t tried enough of them”.
Rosés are blush wines, difficult to classify because they are a bit white and a bit red. They’re made like white wine, but from red grapes, and the juice remains in contact with the skins for 24 to 48 hours, which gives the wine its various pink hues (a very few rosés, particularly sparkling wines, are made by combining red and white wines, but these are the exception. While rosés are wildly popular among fine-wine people outside Cyprus, for the most part, Cypriots tend to disdain and ignore them.
Every now and then I plead with readers to try rosés, and every year wine suppliers and makers tell me the same thing: we cannot easily sell them, well not to locals anyway. Cypriots, especially those who spend a lot of money on wine, refuse to spend their pounds on pink wines, exceptions in the warmer months and of course when it comes to champagne. The most popular theory behind this Cypriot rosé phobia is that red wines are the ‘real thing’ and to be called a serious wine drinker you must worship anything in red liquid form. Bear in mind also that it is only recently that Cypriot consumers started appreciating white wines. Another problem also was that in the 70s and 80s, the quality of rosé wine suffered, thus rosés wines of that generation never convinced the consumers. Hence, many wine drinkers decided that rosés were beneath them, and it’s hard to teach those old dogs new rosé tricks. Or is it?
So why do I plead rosés’ case so vehemently? For one thing, they please my personal palate – I like their crispiness, the fruity rush. Their colours entice. Most of all, I love how versatile they are. Wine, for me, is usually appreciated best in the context of food, and in the multi-dimensional sport of pairing the two, rosés make for some pretty nice pieces of the puzzle. They offset spicy foods well, though I would argue that one reason Cypriots may not enjoy wine as much as they should is that people who drink wine are partial to exotic and often spicy foods, but they are too often resistant to drinking the wines best suited to such dishes. When many people are dining together, and many different dishes are served, a versatile rosé will often work best with everything (some can even stand up to red meat!). Yes, you have guessed it, I was referring to our meat and fish meze. In addition to taste, colour and versatility, they offer variety; it’s a treat to drink something different than a heavier Cabernet Sauvignon, Syrah, Merlot, Maratheftico, Sangiovese or fulsome Chardonnay.
If you think you don’t like rosé, chances are you haven’t tried enough of them – remember, they are made from the same grapes as some of your favourite red wines. You can, of course, “cheat” by trying a rosé sparkling wine. Or have someone blindfold you and serve you a rosé or two in a flight with whites and reds at a similar temperatures – it may be that the pink colour is throwing you off. And while rosés may not be for everyone, I would hate for such great wines to be overlooked simply because of their colour. One might liken drinking rosé to affirmative action.
So trust me on this: if you like wine, in time you are likely to realise that some of the best, most affordable wines to drink with a wide variety of foods are rosés.
Wine of the Week
2003 Cabernet Sauvignon Rosé, Olympus Winery, Omodhos, Alcohol Volume 13.5%, Price approximately £3.75
I tasted this wine before it was bottled and I was thrilled. After a year and a half I have the same thrill when tasting it from the bottle. This Cabernet Sauvignon based grape variety is part of the varietals line of ETKO’s project at Omodhos, the Olympus winery.
Bright, palest ruby colour, bone dry, with a flowery nose intense as if in a garden of roses and mouthwatering flavours of ripe, yet structured pomegranate fruit, leathery structured and subtle texture. Summer puddings flavours on the finish when served at 10º-12º C. It is wonderful with bouillabaisse, spicy Thai or a nice slice of pizza. And do not forget the meze…
