Fun Summer Wine

Wine is a hobby - no, not just drinking it. But I love learning about it and sharing with others. So, one of the big reasons I started blogging again was to write about wine.

It's hard to find fun summer wines better than the supermarket undrinkable swill. But instead of the standard white, try a Rose' - make that a dry Rose.'

When most people see pink wine they recoil and expect a big glass of Kool-Aid. But the history and tradition of great dry pink wine is substantial. The motherland of great dry Rose is the Tavel region of France.

The southern Rhone region is famous for its dry Rose wines. If you go into a decent wine shop and find the French wines, there is a good chance you'll seem some Tavel during the summer months. The good ones are usually dry to even quite dry. Often there is a strong hint of strawberry to the taste. They're wonderful.

There are dry Rose's being made everywhere from many different grapes. In France, Cabernet Sauvignon and Grenache are often used for Rose, syrah has been used to make Rose. A bit sweeter versions have been made from Pinot Noir grapes. They're all over the place.

One of the things I enjoy about my wine hobby is trying new things. So the other day I bought a dry Rose from South Africa. It's called Bon Bon in a floral label. I bought it in a wine shop on Massachussets Ave. in Indianapolis. I had never purchased a South Africa wine before.

The wine wasn't bad for an $11 bottle. It had the hint of Strawberry/cherry typical to the wine. It was dry enough for me. It did improve a little after opening up (being open awhile for the novices). It didn't have as robust a flavor as I would like, but not bad for the price point.

Try a dry Rose this summer. They are a great value. Even great French Tavel's sell for $18-$25 bucks. You can often find others even cheaper. They're great with cheese or fruit for snacking and not overly sweet like some Pinot Grigio or a Reisling!