The Misunderstood Rosé

Is there any one type of wine that continues to be as misunderstood as rosé? Over the summer months, it’s the wine so many in the trade — writers, sommeliers, sales folk and the like — drink in large (but responsible) quantities, yet it makes up just a sliver of total overall wine sales.

People unfairly paint rosé with one (pink) brush: it’s simple, it’s sweet, it’s plonk. That mentality, the result of White Zinfandel’s wince-worthy popularity, discounts the many subtle differences from one rosé to another — especially those from Canada.

First of all, most Canadian rosés are dry, and typically use grapes that are best-suited to their climate — not Zinfandel, in other words. Canadian producers often work with grapes such as Pinot Noir, Gamay or Cabernet Franc — cooler-climate red grapes that can produce pink wine with great character.

Using Pinot Noir tends to result in lighter, more delicate pink wines such as the Le Vieux Pin 2013 Vaila Rosé. Reminiscent of a Côtes de Provence rosé, it’s very light in colour and subtle, with gorgeous raspberry and rhubarb notes and nary a hint of sweetness.

While also from the Okanagan Valley, the JoieFarm 2013 Rosé, meanwhile, is also made from a blend of Pinot Noir and Gamay grapes grown across three different vineyards. This pink wine is a beautiful deep pink in colour, and brings cherry brandy, raspberry and perfume aromas, with super-fresh lemon zest, tart raspberry, cherry and rhubarb flavours that are explosive.

Hester Creek’s 2013 Rosé Cabernet Franc is a deeper pink in colour — no surprise, as this wine is made entirely from the thicker-skinned Cabernet Franc. Deep red berry and spice pervade on this rosé, with just a hint of sweetness to give this wine a bit of depth and weight.

Pick up a dry rosé, chill it right down, then hit your deck or backyard and enjoy with lighter salads, fresh fruit, grilled shrimp, or any warm-weather snacks you’ve got a hankering for.

Ben MacPhee-Sigurdson paid his way through school hucking cases at wine shops. He's now the weekly wine columnist for the Winnipeg Free Press, and judges at wine competitions across the country. He Tweets & Instagrams @bensigurdson.