NEW YORK, May 9 — No matter what you do or where you go this summer, you won’t escape rose. The pink boom just keeps expanding. One out of every 36 bottles of wine Americans drank in 2017 was a rose (up from one in 510 in 2015), according to wine discovery platform WineAccess. We show no signs of giving it up.
Naturally, winemakers from every corner of the globe want to cash in, so dozens of brand-new examples are creating a tsunami of the pink stuff. You probably don’t need me to tell you that a lot of these new wines aren’t worth drinking.
Like a power-hungry empire, this essential summer lifestyle symbol has even infiltrated other food and drink territories. We now have rose-flavoured vodka, tequila, gin, rum, and sake; gummy bears; ice cream; vinegar; and hard seltzer.
I’ve even tasted a pretty awful rose doughnut. The latest in actual rose wine includes examples made from surprising varieties, such as pinotage, along with new, wild packaging and the kind of special experiences and parties you can post on Instagra.
Does it feel as if we’re in the middle of a glut yet? My guess: We’re only just getting started.
Here are 10 new items on this summer’s rosé horizon, with my ratings on a scale of 1 to 10.
The US$5 (RM20) rose: California Roots Rose
What can I say? Remember you get what you pay for, and repeat after me: US$5. Don’t expect the taste of Provence from this pink wine just launched as a Target exclusive, but it is drinkable. Fill a wine glass with ice cubes, add wine, top with seltzer, and as you sip, think $5 (!!). 2/10
The mini-bottle rose: 2017 Winc Summer Water Droplet
Last year, big buzz surrounded the 40-ounce bottle of rose. This summer, wine club Winc is launching the opposite, tiny “droplets” (its word for these 187-milliliter plastic bottles) of the club’s acceptable-but-nothing-special Summer Water Rosé.
Joining the Summer Water Societe gets you three monthly shipments: Limited-edition, screen-printed magnums in May and July, 24 mini-bottles in June. The US$350 price tag seems inflated. 3/10
The non-alcoholic rose: Welch’s Sparkling Rose (six-pack, US$15)
This new offering from the brand famous for concord grape juice is a bright pink color and looks like wine with bubbles, though it actually tastes a lot like the brand’s regular, old white grape juice. Happily it’s not quite as sweet and has a pleasant, light tartness, but it can’t compete with real rosé. For teetotalers. 2/10
The canette rose: Mirabeau Pure Provence (four-pack, US$19.99)
What’s a canette? A small bottle or can such as this slim, easily grasped (250ml) can with pale pink Provence rosé inside. Made by Mirabeau in the Coteaux Varois region of Provence, the blend of grenache and cinsault is not as good as Una Lou, but it’s easier to slip into a handbag or small tote bag. Serve ice-cold. Available at Whole Foods. 5/10
The rose vodka: Hangar 1 Rose Vodka (US$32)
Think rose with a big kick. This California upscale vodka maker adds genuine rosé wine at a 5 per cent proportion to give this newly launched vodka the pale pink colour of a Provence example and similar bright floral aromas. With notes of strawberries, a fairly silky texture, and 10 per cent less alcohol than regular vodka, it’s dangerously sip-able. For all-day drinking, mix with soda and lemon for a spritzer. 7/10
