Summer, summer, summer - the hottest season of the year is here and it's extremely hot and humid, so it's time to beach, kayak, sail, swim, hike, and wind surf. Anything that we can do to cool ourselves down, we’re up for it.
There are so many outdoor activities that we associate with summer but what are some food and wines that we can enjoy over summer? We need something cool, refreshing, and light.
The list of foods and wines is endless and it’s pretty much impossible to list every single combination of them. Even if we did make the list, you’d probably die of starvation before getting to the end of it and we don’t want that to happen.
To save us from getting “hangry”, we’ve narrowed it down the our top five summer western food and rosé wine pairing favourites. So read on to learn how to pair rose with food.
1. Fresh Salads with Light, Dry Rosé Wines
Summer in a bowl! (Photo courtesy of Moms Meet)
Provence style rosé wines are extremely versatile because they can be dressed-up or down. Their crispness, freshness and dry body makes them extremely versatile wines. They go well with all kinds of food like fresh salad, a common staple of the summer months.
Made with Grenache, Mourvèdre, Syrah, or Cinsault grapes, they are like blossoming gardens packed with mouth-watering fresh strawberries and watermelon.
Pale pink in colour, Provence rosés finish off with a distinctive salty minerality on the palate, leaving you longing for more.
Need to brush up on your rosé? Read A Quick Guide To 10 Types Of Rosé Wine Styles
2. Charcuterie with Savoury Rosé Wines
The only thing missing? A glass of a Syrah or Zinfandel rosé. (Photo courtesy of Michael Angelo’s)
There are many different styles of charcuterie to choose from, but the real question is which rosé wine should you have with them?
Not Spicy Charcuterie
For not spicy charcuterie, drink a rosé made from Syrah. Syrah rosé offers a bolder profile compared to the other rosé styles made with different varieties.
More of a ruby red rather than blush-pink in colour, Syrah rosés are full bodied and go well with bolder flavoured foods, like a garlic-laden saucisson. Their typicall savoury hints and pepperiness pair nicely with the savouriness of charcuterie.
But this style still can deliver a mouthful of fresh summer fruits like cherries and strawberries.
Spicy Charcuterie
For spicy charcuterie, drink an off-dry style rosé wine, perhaps made from Zinfandel. Rosés made from this grape are sweeter than other styles.
In fact, the popularity of Zinfandel rosés exploded in the 70s in the USA compared to other varietals because of how sweet and easy to drink they were.
It may not be everyone’s cup of tea (or glass of rosé!), but Zinfandel rosé offers flavours of candied strawberries, peaches and cream combined with melon notes.
Like some off-dry Gewürztraminer white wines, this off-dry style rosé style would beautifully complement dishes with a spicy kick.
3. Gazpacho with Fruity, Savoury Rosé Wines
Gazpacho, the cooling, refreshing summer soup. (Photo courtesy of Epicurious)
Gazpacho is the ideal soup for a hot summer day. It's a cold soup made with fresh raw vegetables, and is bound to cool you down like a refreshing ocean breeze gently sweeping across your face.
What could be better than a Spanish wine to pair with this Spanish dish?
So drink a Tempranillo rosé wine for sure. Tempranillo, a Spanish variety, makes fabulous Rioja red wines as well as rosé wines. These wines are an attractive pale pink colour like rosy cheeks on a cold winter day.
Watermelon, strawberries, and raspberries make up the fruity component of this style, but there is also a savoury aspect that has herbaceous notes of green peppercorns and grilled chicken.
Spanish rosé paired with Spanish cuisine? What a delight!
4. Barbecue with Fruity, Full-Bodied Rosé Wines
It’s barbecue time! (Photo courtesy of Times Live)
Grenache based rosés have a plush and fruity mouthfeel with moderate levels of tannins and acidity. They are zingy wines with notes of red berries laced with juicy orange and hibiscus fragrance.
Savour light styles of barbeque such as chicken, zucchini, or eggplants with this rosé style and you’ll have an explosion of exotic flavours dancing on your palate.
For bolder barbeque like beef, lamb, capsicums or onions, choose a Cabernet Sauvignon rosé wine. This style of rosé will be in the dark pink spectrum and take on a ruby red colour.
What you typically find in a Cabernet Sauvignon red wine is a good indication of what a Cabernet Sauvignon rosé tastes like.
Expect blackcurrant, green capsicums, concentrated cherry sauce with a twist of black pepper. Typically, Cabernet Sauvignon rosés aren’t aged in oak so the acidity of these wines should be slightly brighter.
The brightness and savory notes of this wine definitely pair well with beef and lamb barbecue, definitely one of the best rose food pairings.
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5. Seafood with Elegant, Fruity Rosé Wines
Prawns and rosé wine? A match made in heaven. (Photo courtesy of Mike’s Inland Seafood)
A delicate Pinot Noir rosé can beautifully complement the clean and sweet flavours of freshly caught seafood like fish, prawns and crayfish.
A delightful and sexy wine, Pinot Noir rosé flirts with soft, subtle aromas of cherries, strawberries, raspberries and watermelon. It’s a crisp and delicate wine that lingers on your palate.
Don't miss this match made in heaven that you could enjoy on a lovely summer evening! If you want an alternative to pairing seafood with Pinot Noir, try pairing a Provence style rosé.