Fall Rosé Wine Picks
Liquid Assets for Boaters
Article by Linda Kissam
Photos by Allan Kissam (except as indicated)
Rosés are the darlings of warm fall weather and the boating life … and for good reason. They pair well with pretty much any food you might have on board …from hot dogs to shrimp. Throw in an avocado or two and you have pure heaven.
Rosés can be made into various cocktails too. If you go down that road, I suggest making rosé ice cubes and pouring club soda over them. Trust me, it’s an easy-to-make crowd pleaser.
*Dreamstime
Each boating year I do a couple of different tastings. This year it was ciders and Rosés. My husband and I were on an 8 week cruise in our 42’ Grand Banks gliding over the Canadian coastal waters. Food storage – fresh and canned – is at a premium. Space for adult beverages are also tough to find, so what we bring aboard needs to be top notch without breaking the budget. We’ve found storing our wines deep under the floor boards in the aft cabin keep the wines cool and ready to serve. Our pairings are simple and boat focused. The best is when we can catch fresh fish.
After tasting many different rosés, the following are my top five picks. You can pack these aboard with confidence.
La Crema Monterey 2017 Pinot Noir Rosé / About $20– This a sophisticated Rose showcasing lush – but not overpowering strawberry, a touch of minerality and juicy acidity. Pair with a shrimp cocktail.
Kendal Jackson 2017 Vintners Rosé / About $15 – Summer pale pink in the glass delivers with crisp grapefruit, strawberry and some floral notes. Juicy aromas of watermelon and hibiscus. Pair with steamed salmon.
Loosen Brothers 2017 Bellenos Rosé of Gamay Noir – 100 percent Gamay from the Beaujolais area in southern Burgundy. Think lively red raspberry and cherry notes and a mineral inflection that is terroir driven from the southern, Austral region of Burgundy. Pair with a fish fry.
Loosen Brothers Bellenos 2016 Cuvée Rouge– This Cuvée blends fruity, mineral influenced Gamay from Beaujolais with structured Pinot Noir from the Côte d’Or in northern Burgundy. The result is a fresh, fruit-forward taste of cherry from the Gamay and the ripe red-berry fruits from the Pinot Noir. Pair with an avocado stuffed with baby shrimp.
Mt Beautiful 2017 Beautiful Rosé – (About $15) – A dry, crisp blend of 70% Pinot Noir and 30% Pinot Gris. Salmon pink color with some floral notes and sweet red berry aromas on the nose. Love the taste of white peach and pink grapefruit. Smooth texture and acid friendly. This is a medium bodied wine with a significant finish. Pair with a charcuterie board.
*Dreamstime
# # #
*Dreamstime
Author’s note: These wines were provided as samples, for review purposes. The vendor’s generosity did not influence my reviews, as the wines speak beautifully for themselves.
