As I write this, I’m sipping a rosé wine. The odds are even that you are, as well.
And we are not alone in our preference for a refreshing pink wine: Rosé has shown strong growth over the past year and is outpacing overall U.S wine growth, a trend that ramped up during the summer months thanks to the pink drink’s light and versatile appeal, according to a July story written by Mary Ellen Shoup for Nielsen.
If a consumer trends powerhouse such as Nielsen gives a nod to rosé, then we know Americans are drinking pink in big numbers.
Entire walls of wine shops display shelves of rosé, and frankly, I am not aware of a Santa Barbara or San Luis Obispo winemaker who does not produce a pink wine.
Seasoned wine consumers know a good thing when they see it. If they don’t see it, they’ll ask for it.
I’ve spent the better part of this year sifting through rosés — so many that I lost count around May. All I can say is this: There’s a rosé available for every set of taste buds.
There are deep ruby rosés crafted from hearty syrah, zinfandel, malbec and cabernet franc. And there are others that show only the lightest pink blush, and typically are made from pinot noir or grenache grapes.
The rosé I am drinking tonight is a 2016 from Paso Robles’ renowned Peachy Canyon. It’s a blend of 70 percent zinfandel and 30 percent grenache, and epitomizes my kind of rosé: A mix of spice and floral notes, a color of fresh salmon and an elegant finish.
This wine was just released, according to Doug Beckett, owner and winemaker at Peachy Canyon.
He’s not the only producer to have released a rosé well past the traditional late-winter circulation date: Pink wines are shedding their “only for summer” mantra and morphing into a year-round staple as popular at Thanksgiving as on the Fourth of July.
Rosés pair so well with so many foods, from cheeses to Thai food to just about anything in your fridge.
Dan Kessler, owner/winemaker of Kessler-Haak Vineyards in the Santa Rita Hills, has just released a pair of 2016 rosés: One of syrah and one of pinot noir, both color rich in hue and offering deep fruit on the palate.
Other winemakers have had rosés on shelves, so to speak, for several months.
A few of my favorites, tasted over the past six months:
» Relative newcomer James Sparks of Kings Carey produced a beyond-exquisite rosé of 100-percent grenache made from grapes grown at the newer Brick Barn Vineyard, located on Highway 246 on the western edge of Buellton. Sparks is also the winemaker for Liquid Farm. Get your hands on his Kings Carey rosé; you’ll thank me — and Sparks.
» Larry Schaffer of Tercero Wines released a 100-percent mourvedre rosé that’s deceptively light in color but showcases the essence of dark, musty fruit true to this “underdog” Rhone grape varietal.
» Matt McKinney, of McKinney Family Vineyards in the Santa Ynez Valley, who, like Sparks, is newer to the industry, shared with me his 2016 Rosé of Pinot Noir, sourced from Presqu’ile Vineyard in Santa Maria. While it’s on the lighter side, hue wise, this wine offers a punch of ripe fruit and a strong finish.
» Kris Curran’s 2016 Grenache Gris Rosé goes down like butter, as Curran has years of experience with making perfect pink wines.
» Chronic Cellars’ 2016 “Pink Pedals” Rosé of 87 percent grenache and 13 percent syrah is the epitome of a “summer sipper” rosé.
» Kaena Wines’ rosés are a perennial favorite of mine for winemaker Mikael Sigouin’s perfect handling of the grenache grape. There’s a reason why he’s known in industry circles as the “Grenache King.” Michael Larner also makes a mean pink. I could go on and on and on.
Pink Party
Eric Railsback is a sommelier, winemaker and co-owner at Railsback Freres, co-owner/winemaker at Lieu Dit Winery, and a founder of Les Marchands Wine Bar & Merchant in Santa Barbara, which he left in 2014.
Railsback has crafted two vintages of Les Rascasses Rosé from Santa Ynez Valley grapes.
This wine was my standout during a “Pink Party” earlier this month at Santa Maria’s Presqu’ile Winery. Forbes included Les Rascasses as one of its seven rosés to drink this summer.
Also at the party were Lyle, Eric’s brother and co-owner of Railsback Freres, and his fiancée, Victoria James. Lyle Railsback works for Kermit Lynch in national wine sales. He and James, a sommelier and beverage director at two restaurants, reside in New York.
The two have a new release of their own in the form of the book Drink Pink: A Celebration of Rosé.
On Thursday, Wine Enthusiast released its annual “40 Under 40” listing of top winemakers, brewers and spirits producers under the ripe age of 40, and Lyle Railsback, 36, was included.
According to Wine Enthusiast: “Railsback wears many hats in the wine world. He leads regional sales for the esteemed wine importer Kermit Lynch, he co-owns and makes Railsback Frères California wines with his brother, Eric (a 2015 40 Under 40 honoree), and he also designs wine labels. This year, he illustrated Drink Pink: A Celebration of Rosé (HarperCollins, 2017).
James wrote it and Lyle Railsback, whose creative outlets are winemaking with his brother and artwork, illustrated the slim, bright pink book with delightful drawings.
Lyle Railsback told me that publisher HarperCollins approached the couple about writing a book to showcase the popularity of pink wines.
“There are so many good rosés available today,” he noted.
Drink Pink opens with a thorough history of rosé wines and top regions and segues into rosé-inspired recipes, such as rosé punch, rosé soup and brioche with rosé jam and almond butter.
Grab yourself a copy, put out a spread of cheese, bread and fruit, and open a rosé with friends.
— Laurie Jervis blogs about wine at www.centralcoastwinepress.com, tweets at @lauriejervis and can be reached via winecountrywriter@gmail.com. The opinions expressed are her own.