Rose is an ideal way to beat the gray monotony of the world at certain times of the year (say, wintertime), but it is also great year-round, ushering in shining brightness as soon as you pop open a bottle.
There's not much more that needs to be said about rose, except that there's no better bottle of wine for a picnic than a pink one. Sure, bring your bubbly (and any other styles you enjoy), but make sure there is at least one rose in your basket or cooler. Good, slightly chilled pink wine is a picnic-essential, if you ask me.
Below are notes from a recent tasting of rose wines. The 16 bottles are listed in ascending order, according to price. More than half of them ring up at $18 or less.
2017 Mont Gravet Rose. Made from grapes sourced in the south of France, this 100 percent cinsault is full of strawberry, incense and herbal notes, with a touch of salinity. $9
2017 Michel Torino Rose. This delightful wine from Argentina's Calchaqui Valley offers lip-smacking plum, cherry, tropical fruit notes and a touch of spice. This wine is 100 percent malbec. $11
2017 Santa Julia Malbec Rose. Another one from Argentina (Mendoza, this time), this organic wine has sweet red fruit in abundance, followed by a touch of spice and a clean finish. $11
2017 Santi Infinito Rose. Grapes for this wine were grown near Italy's Lake Garda in the Veneto region, resulting in a wine full of anise, cherry, strawberry, floral notes and crisp minerality. $13
2017 Chateau Mont-Redon Reserve Cotes du Rhone Rose. Watermelon, stone fruit, fennel, bright acidity and a refreshing wave of ripe citrus lead to a nuttiness on the finish in this one. $15
2017 Tasca Regaleali Le Rose. From Sicily, here is a wine that offers bursts of strawberry, herbs and floral notes, plus mouthwatering, lively acidity and a clean crisp finish. $15
2017 Vidal-Fleury Cotes du Rhone Rose. A lively and fresh blend of cinsault, syrah and grenache, bursting with strawberry and tangerine, plus floral notes and minerality. $15
2017 Hecht & Bannier Cotes de Provence Rose. Peach, watermelon, earth, minerality and herbs were delivered with a soft mouthfeel and a slowly emerging nuttiness in the long finish. $18
2017 Farmstrong Vineyards Field Rose. From California's Redwood Valley, this refreshing wine, made of zinfandel and carignan, offers lively peach, nectarine and even watermelon rind flavors, wrapped up with a clean finish. $18
2017 Gamble Family Vineyards Rose Wine. A blend of red Bordeaux grapes, this lush and delightful Napa Valley wine offered floral notes, plus strawberry, dark cherry, figs and nuts. $20
2017 Malene Wines Rose. Strawberry, licorice, peach and a kiss of honey commingle in this California wine. Soft and creamy yet dry and crisp on the finish. $22
2017 Domaine Pascal Jolivet Sancerre Rose. From France's Loire Valley, this wine offers bright strawberry, peach and herbal notes, all of it mouthwatering, luscious and clean. $23
2017 Stoller Family Estate Pinot Noir Rose. Strawberry, cream, anise, citrus, a touch of peach and crushed-rock minerality are all present in this lip-smacking wine from Oregon's Willamette Valley. $25
2017 Gran Moraine Winery Rose of Pinot Noir. Another one from Oregon, this wine serves up notes of watermelon, almond, earth, citrus and bright acidity, all leading to a crisp finish. $28
2017 Ladera Vineyards Rose. Peach, watermelon, stone fruit, lime zest and juicy strawberry are joined by a touch of spice in this 100 percent malbec from Napa Valley. $30
2017 Inman Family Wines Endless Crush Rose of Pinot Noir. From Sonoma County's Russian River Valley, this beautiful wine delivers fresh-cut watermelon, floral notes and minerality, along with rich ripe cherry and strawberry. $38
