Rosé wine isn’t just for summer! In this guest post, Certified Sommelier and Italian Wine Ambassador, Hugh Preece, shows us how to incorporate rosé into our winter holiday celebrations. Photographs by Amanda Biddle.
It’s the season where everything is merry and bright, and we can’t think of a better way to feel brighter or merrier than to drink rosé. If you thought rosé was just a summer selection, think again. This wine spans a huge spectrum as red and whites do with variety in complexity, acidity, and boldness. Plus, it’s just fun holiday wines.
Need more reasons to drink rosé for holiday cheer? Read on!
It pairs well with just about anything
During big holiday meals, you likely have a red and white opened to please your guests. Even with a beautiful Nebbiolo or Bordeaux though, it can cover up the flavors of the food. For whites, you likely grab an oaky California Chardonnay, which can often be too acidic or full-bodied to be a perfect partner to the meal.
Rosé wines complement many foods without overpowering including seafood, beef, vegetables, chicken, and the star of most holiday meals, the turkey.
It’s lovely enough for all-day festivities
On Christmas Day, nothing is finer than a lovely bit of rosé wine, in the morning when you gather together to open gifts. It’s great for serving when family finally arrives after a long journey.
Having a simple lunch before the big dinner? Make it more special with a bottle of rosé wine and good conversation. There really is no wrong time for rosé wines.
It’s the ideal crowd-pleaser
One of the most dizzying things about the holidays is all the guests and trying to appeal to everyone’s palate. You can go crazy popping behind the bar every time one of them needs a refill, serve a big bowl of help-yourself punch, or keep things classy and easy with a good bottle of rosé.
Entertaining can lead to several bottles of red and white being opened at the same time, all losing their luster as they go unnoticed. With rosé wine though, everyone will love it. Plus, you can make cocktails with it too, making it a versatile choice that lets you actually enjoy your own party.
It makes a beautiful gift
It’s the season of giving, and if there are people on your list you just aren’t sure what to get, rosé wine makes a lovely gift that’s sure to be enjoyed. If you know your boss enjoys wine but you’re not sure which one, going with rosé is a nice choice because it’s so hard to dislike. The bottles are very pretty too, which gives it a luxurious feel even though many of them are priced quite affordably.
Rose Wine Recommendations
Ready for rosé wine? Get your glass ready and celebrate with good holiday cheer, responsibly as always!
Pico Maccario Barbera ‘Lavignone’ Barbera d’Asti from Piedmont, Italy. Playful aromas of wild strawberry, watermelon, cranberry, fresh-cut grass, and river stone meet nose and palate. A refreshing, but modest, backbone of acidity supports a round mouth-feel and velvety texture. The dry and balanced finish leaves the palate feeling clean and refreshed.
Botromagno Montepulciano/Nero di Troia blend ‘Rose di Lulu’ from Puglia. Highly aromatic profile of this rosato, building a robust red berry and cherry profile. Expect more of a commanding structure and defined textural elements on the palate.
Gorghi Tondi Nero D’Avola ‘Palmares’ Extra Dry Sparkling Rose from Sicily. Aromas are Fresh and delicate, small fruits of the forest and freshly picked wild strawberries. Palate is intriguing, lively and well balanced, pleasing acidity and softness. This is perfect for kicking off the Holidays!
About Hugh Preece
Hugh Preece is a Restaurant Owner (Salt Creek Grille, Pickled Monk, Lincoln Park Bar) and leader with over 30 years of restaurant management, community leadership, and philanthropic experience. An Italian Wine Ambassador – Vinitaly Academy, Certified Sommelier, Wine Judge, and educator, Hugh has a passion for wine, food, and entertaining. Visit him on the Web at fermentedboss.com
I’m always a little bit wowed by sommeliers. I love wine but I always feel a bit (or a lot) like Thomas Hayden Church’s character in sideways… drinking the wine, saying “It’s good!” over and over… maybe chewing gum. Ok I don’t chew gum, but still – it’s an impressive and clearly difficult skill-set to develop. Which is why I’m glad you and Hugh were able to bring us this lovely piece of writing. Rosé is something I know VERY little about, and I’m only now starting to appreciate it as a good, even great wine and not just the cheap-o easy drinking plonk that was everywhere a couple of decades ago. Cheers!
I love the Rosé movement! It’s definitely a “let’s meet in the middle” selection for just about any wine lover, no matter their preference. I have been thinking about my Christmas gift list lately and I love the idea of Rosé for everyone :) I happen to live in Northern CA wine country, so a huge selection is always in my backyard. But I really need to expand my horizons and reach for some European selections :) Thanks for sharing!
What a great post. We usually stick to red or white wine — how boring, right? The rose wines are so beautiful I feel that just looking at it is a celebration in itself. There are several parties coming up that I’d love to be able to serve some of these beautiful rose wines. Your photos are so beautiful. They certainly are a compliment to the lovely rose wines.
Thanks for the info and education. I never remember to buy rose when I entertain, but for sure am going to get some this year. So right, it goes with everything and is such a crowd pleaser.
Rosé really is special and I don’t give it enough attention. I think it’s because the first few times I had rosé, they were extremely sweet (and probably cheap) variations. But I have had the pleasure of sipping on a few nice brands and there’s a big difference. They’re lovely! I never really thought about how versatile they are when it comes to food pairings, so I’m glad this was mentioned. It totally makes sense. Not to mention the fact that this good stuff can be enjoyed with brunch, lunch, snacks, dinner, or evening festivities. I’m going to keep my eyes opened for the rosés mentioned here!
I loooove Rose and it definitely there in our festive celebrations. Totally agree with you that it goes perfectly with most food. Rose + chocolate is my fav combination and I’m going to find these Rose in our area for this Christmas gathering.
What I like most about rose wine is that it’s universal. A lot of white wine fans that I know don’t like the reds. Red wine fans like the whites but prefer the reds. Everyone likes the rose. When entertaining, it really is the universal choice. I am interested in the Rose di Lulu with the robust notes of berries and cherry, I’ll have a glass or two please.
Rose all day! I love a gorgeous pink drink in my glass so I’m going to have to break out a body for the holidays. I didn’t even think about the white/reds losing their luster over time compared to rose, that’s a great point to take away from this. I’ll bring it up to my partner and see if rose can be to go-to this holiday!
This post just made my year! I’m a huge fan of rosé, but I thought it would be weird to serve some for the holidays. Now I know better! I’m planning a Christmas dinner centered around seafood, so I’m also super excited to know that rosé pairs well with seafood. Thank you for the wonderful post!
I loved seeing what pairs with the wine. It’s such an unexpected holiday and winter wine, and it’s nice to see it’s so versatile for all year long. I can’t wait to try this out with the upcoming holidays, as it’s always a summer favorite for me. What a great and informative article.
So glad to see the variety of Rose options. The Palmarea sparkling extra dry would be my first choice. In fact, looks like this will be perfect for our New Year’s Eve celebration!