Rosé All Day

The easily quaffable pink drink so many enjoy chilled in quantity throughout our sweltering summers was first produced not by the wine-savvy French but, rather, by thirsty Phoenicians sometime between 1550 B.C. and 300 B.C. and gustatory Greeks around 600 B.C. Both groups were sweating it out much as we are, but their rosés were not the picture-perfect poolside salmon pink libations we enjoy today. Lacking ice cubes, they simply watered down still red wines with often-fetid drinking water to kill the deadly bacteria in the water. The healthiest way to hydrate was with rosé. 

The Phoenicians got around, bringing grapes to the south of France, which eventually became synonymous with the production of rosé as we now know it. In 1938, Domaine Ott of Provence began exporting bottled rosé to the United States. It was a favorite of Julia Child who stated, “Rosé can be served with anything.”

The Expert

Reno De Ranieri, Co-owner & Beverage Director/Sommelier of Osteria Lupo & Costera. 

Rosés to Try:

“While I tend to drink Provencal rosé when sitting in the yard with a deck of cards, at Osteria Lupo we have several sturdier, food-friendly options that stand up to more complex dishes. The 2022 Cerasuolo d’Abruzzo from Tiberio is a rich, cherried wine, perfect for pairing with pork or chicken off the grill, which drinks like a slightly chilled Cru Beaujolais. The mild, tannic structure is no issue with shellfish and is a fantastic pairing with our Spaghetti alla Chittara with Maine Lobster, when the wine helps to draw out the sweetness of the lobster and plays with the complex aromatics of the dish.

I’ve lately been reaching for Enrico Serafino’s 2018 “Oudeis” out of the Alta Langa for an easy drinking sparkler. Piemontese Pinot Nero produced in the Metodo Classico (methode champenoise), this wine can run the gamut for casual drinkers and wine geeks alike, with enough finesse to be in place at a formal gathering without grower Champagnes’ price tag.

At Costera, we pour Ignacio Ameztoi’s “Rubentis” Txakolina Rosato for as long as we can keep it in stock each year. This slightly spritzy, Basque nouveau-classic ranges from strawberry-lime soda to bright, tart watermelon in cooler vintages, and is a well-known pool/porch pounder, coveted by the initiated. Bright acidity and balance make this original Txak Rosé an incredibly versatile pairing wine and a go-to when escaping the heat of New Orleans’ summers.

And when that heat of summer does begin to abate and we’re able to once again have pre-dinner snacks outdoors, I try and have a couple of bottles of Chateau Pradeaux Bandol rosé on hand.  Unconventionally, at least in our common conception, structured Bandol rosés are fantastic after a few years of bottle age, shedding the primary, fruit bouquets of youth and developing their savory, herbal aromas which complement richer cheeses and charcuterie.”