Perhaps it was the old, sweet, fizzy wines like Mateus, or more recently, some of the execrable white Zinfandels tasting more like soda pop than wine that made Americans turn up an eyebrow and a nose at the very thought of a glass of rosé. Maybe it is the whole "pink" thing. Get over it. If you do nothing else for yourself this summer, buy and enjoy one of the delicious and inexpensive wines below. They are the perfect cocktail wine served well-chilled on the patio on a hot summer night, and they fit like a glove with chicken, veal, fish and many pastas. I generally like the rosés of France, Spain and Italy, countries where they are taken seriously, but I have also had some good ones from South Africa and the United States. The best of these are very dry. They are beautiful to look at, delightful to drink and very affordable. What's not to like?
2005 Muga, Rioja (Spain)
This may be the classiest of the rosés in the tasting. It's a perfect salmon color, a pale blend of pink and orange. It has a light perfume on the nose, and aromas of delicately spiced peaches and pears jump out of the glass as you taste. It's beautifully balanced with refreshing but inoffensive acidity. I was at New York's Le Bernardin recently, one of the absolute best restaurants in the United States. This very French restaurant was serving the Muga, a Spanish wine, as its house rosé. I found that curious until I tasted it and understood why. Less than $10 a bottle.
2005 Château Bonnet (Bordeaux, France)
It starts with a romantic dark pink color. There is a sharp floral nose with a hint of lime zest, followed by bracing and refreshing flavors of strawberries and gooseberries. Bone dry and balanced. Made from a blend of Cabernet Franc, Cabernet Sauvignon and Merlot from 100-year-old vines.
2005 La Vieille Ferme, Côtes du Ventoux (Rhône, France)
This is a lovely wine made by the famous Perrin family of Château Beaucastel fame. It is a spectacular dark pink color and it has a rich nose of watermelon and citrus. The blend of Cinsault, Grenache and Syrah grapes gives a refreshing astringency with soft tropical fruit flavors.
2005 Red Bicyclette, Vin de Pays d'Oc (France)
It's hard to take this wine seriously at first because the name and the label are just too cute. But things get better fast, starting with the rich pink color and the soft but distinctive nose of fruits and wildflowers. It is a gentle, tasty wine with flavors of raspberry and cherries with cream. This wine is a real crowd pleaser, especially at about $10.
2005 A to Z (Oregon)
This wine tempts you with a seductive dark pink color and a candy-apple nose. It looks and smells delicious, and it is. It's a fresh, soft and gentle wine with rich flavors of strawberries and apple pie with a touch of cinnamon. This is made from 100 percent Sangiovese grapes. At a price of about $10 per bottle, it is a steal.
2005 Big House Pink, Ca' del Solo (California)
This is made in the Italian style by famed Bonnie Doon winemaker Randall Grahm, and it is a treat. It's a lovely salmon-pink color with a nose of mango and papaya and flavors of watermelon, strawberry and cotton candy. Dry and perfectly balanced--you can just chill it and enjoy it for less than $10 a bottle.
The wines we've chosen are summer wines. Wines to drink for a day at the beach, on a picnic or at a barbecue. These are wines to be shamelessly enjoyed, not saved or cellared or pondered. Most are very different from each other but have two things in common: They are absolutely delicious and each is a great wine bargain (GWB). Enjoy and let us know what you think. Or tell us what you didn't like. But at least give us credit for drinking an enormous amount of wine strictly on your behalf.
A final word about availability: You may not find every wine in your favorite store, but you should be able to find them at another store in your town. Or your merchant can order them for you. If that fails, search the Internet. They are there.
Tom Ryder is the former chairman of the Reader's Digest Association and co-owner of The Cookhouse restaurants in Connecticut, and has been a wine aficionado for decades. He's been lucky enough to taste many stellar wines in some of the finest wine regions of the world.
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