Monday, May 28, 2018

Rosé To Rock Your Summer: Five Top Picks

When the summer heats up, the Vino-Sphere tasting team swings into action. Our quest? To identify for you some of the best crisp, refreshing rosé available. Here are five of our top picks.


Spanning The Globe For Heat-Busting Rosé


Okay, to be honest we’re not venturing very far from our barbecue grill and back patio. It’s just too hot! But we still do have a thirst for outstanding rosé and our latest tasting adventures covered three different countries and five great wines.


Interestingly, none of the five wines share the same grape blend. They all do have one thing in common. Each is immensely satisfying and also light on the wallet.

Here are our capsule reviews:

Amelia Bordeaux Rosé, NV – France. Surprise! They have great rosé in France in places other than Provence. Made with Merlot, it has strawberry notes and crisp acidity. Pair with barbecue or seafood dishes. $15.99

Arrogant Frog Lily Pad Pink Rosé, 2016 – Languedoc, France. The Arrogant Frog wines from Paul Mas set the standard for French value wines. This is 100% Syrah and delivers citrus and candied cherry refreshment. You can afford to buy several bottles! $9.00.


Jezreel Valley Rosé, 2017 – Galilee, Israel. Our new favorite winery in Israel blends 45% Carignan, 40% Syrah, and 15% Sauvignon Blanc for this delicious blend. Strawberry and wild cherry predominate in this racy rosé. I don’t recall having a rosé with a white grape in the blend, but the unique mix sets this Kosher wine apart. $22.99.

Tabor “Adama” Barbera Rosé, 2017 – Galilee, Israel. Barbera isn’t the most common grape for rosé, but after this bottle, we’d like to see more. Brilliant pink in the glass, it’s very dry with a touch of minerality. Red fruit flavors abound in this fresh, limited production Kosher wine. $21.99.

Vivanco Tempranillo Garnacha, 2016 – Rioja, Spain.  Red licorice and roses highlight the flavors of this Spanish beauty. Primarily Tempranillo, this is a playful wine that was the centerpiece of a great dinner on the patio. Spanish has a bit more muscle than its French counterpart, perfect to enjoy on its own or with a variety of summer dishes. $14.99.

Full disclosure: These wines were received as marketing samples.

No comments: