Overcoming Pink Anxiety

When the Sweet Partner in Crime read one of my columns, shecame across a throwaway line where I disparaged white zinfandel. “Afraid of thepink, are we?” she said.

I'm not afraid of the pink – pink wine, that is – I'm justjudgmental. I freely admit that I'd see people around me in a restaurant orderingpink wine and feel a little rush of pride that I had better sense. I don't likewhite zin for the same reason that I don't like fruit wines – I look for agiant smiling pitcher to crash through the wall hollering, “Oh yeahhhhhh!”after the first sip. I had a real distaste for anything resembling white zin untilI heard a single sentence that changed my attitude:

“Remember…Pink is nota flavor.”

My mind and palate were opened to the world of rosé.

Rosé should never be confused with white zin. Rosés are madeusing the same process as red wines – except the grape skins are removed fromthe fermentation container after a couple of days. The skins of grapes givewine its color, so the wine ends up a light pink. The skins also give red winerichness – so rosés tend to be lighter in body and slightly sweet.

Rosés are great summer wines. They've got a little more“oomph” than many whites, so you can use them with any number of foods, butthey're still very refreshing when you're in the midst of a season when youfeel a twinge in your head and wallet any time you hear your a/c compressorkick on.

Les Jamelles 2005Cinsault -- Strawberry fieldsforever! Cinsault is best known as a French blending grape. France actuallyplants more cinsault than cabernet sauvignon. As for this wine, light andfruity to the nose, Les Jamelles is much more on the "white" end ofthe rosé spectrum. The taste is very much like a sauvignon blanc -- a littlecitrusy and a lot of strawberry. It finishes with a little crisp bite on theback of your tongue -- like you've finished a really good grapefruit. Perfectfor sitting by the pool, or with a light fish or chicken dish. $7-8.

Muga 2006 Rioja Rosé --Riojas are classic Spanish reds made from mostly the tempranillo and garnachagrapes. Riojas tend to be big, fruity wines, and a rosé made from those grapesfollows that lead. This winery's name splits neatly into two syllables thattell you all you need to know about this wine's flavor: Mu-Ga --Melon/Grapefruit.Once the wine warmsup a bit (you do not want to drink this ice cold) -- the initial scent is ripemelon. This stays with you through your first sip, but the wine widens to agrapefruity taste, and then stays just on the sweet side of strong citrusthrough the taste. If you've got any kind of pork or jerk chicken, go with thisone. $11-13.

Folie a Deux 2006Ménage a Trois Rosé -- The sweetestof our selections. I'd tried some of the other Folie a Deux blends (they'refrom Napa, not France) -- and I'd enjoyed theirred and white. This rosé had a marked berry nose, but tastes like strawberriesand peaches (minus some sweetness) when quaffed. The finish is much less sharpthan the other two, making this the quintessential pool wine. If you're layingout during the rest of the summer, chill this down and bring it out -- let thesun warm both you and the wine a bit before you start drinking. You could pairthis with some grilled shrimp if you wanted. $9-11.

Before we depart the pink -- I found a use for whitezinfandel. While I have no doubt that it would work wonderfully in ahummingbird feeder, an ambitious picnic-goer can make a killer sangria with it.Mix a bottle of white zin with ½ a cup of peach schnapps, a shot of triple sec,a couple of tablespoons of sugar, a couple of cinnamon sticks, and some slicedfruit. Chill that well in the fridge, and just before you serve it -- throw ina 10 oz. bottle of club soda. Enjoy!

Until next time -- Santé.

(Got a comment?Suggestion? Question? Opinion? Send it to Mike at thenakedvine@yahoo.com)