Cracklin’ Rosé, get on board

Since summer seems to finally be upon us (fingers crossed), I thought I would review a wine that reminded me of long days, hot weather and sitting out on the patio on a warm evening. I immediately thought of something cold – I mean who wants to drink a room temperature beverage when it’s 80+ degrees outside? Not me, certainly. After a conversation with my BFF, Kat, about Viognier, I thought I might hunt a good one down and give it a go. But I went to three stores and nothing jumped out at me, so I decided to hold off. And when Tim and I were invited to a BBQ at Brian and Hillary’s house in the burbs, I peeked into our wine cellar and was drawn to the 2008 Boeger Vin Rosé I picked up nearly a year ago. It seemed the perfect fit for an evening hanging out with friends in the backyard. I grabbed the bottle and we were on our way.

By the time we made it to Orinda, the weather had cooled off a bit. And I mean, let’s get real, this is the Bay Area, it never really gets HOT. Even so, it was warm enough to still feel refreshed by the rosé. I popped it opened and immediately began enjoying it with some cheese and cherries Hillary set out as an appetizer.

The Boeger rosé comes from El Dorado County, a rapidly-growing wine growing region in the foothills of the Sierra Nevada. This particular rosé was a blend of Barbera – an Italian varietal known for its intense fruit and tannins – and Mourvedre – a strong, dark red wine that is typical of rosés.

The wine looked beautiful in the glass, with a darker pinkish-salmon color that resembled fresh watermelon. Its healthy legs coated the glass nicely, giving it a somewhat creamy texture. Anticipating the chilly crispness of the wine, I stuck in my nose and breathed deeply. With very strong apricot notes, citrus undertones and just a slight hint of cinnamon, this rosé was looking promising. I had a few more nibbles from the cheese plate and went in for the taste.

Even with a slightly creamy mouth feel, the wine was incredibly dry and crisp. It was fruity, but not overly sweet and in fact, the tart apricot and stone fruit flavors showed mostly on the front palate, while the back palate had a somewhat bitter taste – kind of like cough syrup. Interestingly enough, that wasn’t a bad thing. It actually added to the complexity of the wine, giving it a lingering finish and a robustness that pleased me. Overall, it was strong, but not too strong. Some might say toned and defined, but not bulky. Just the way I like it.

Proving its versatility, this rosé continued to pair nicely with the cheese and fruit, but also worked just as well with the delicious tri-tip and Israeli couscous salad Hillary and Brian prepared. I even continued drinking it well into the dessert course – an amazing strawberry shortcake.

This was definitely a wine I would drink again. I guess that’s obvious since this was my second time drinking it. But its strong, robust qualities, which give it the ability to stand on its own, in addition to its versatility and easy accompaniment with food, definitely make it one of my go-to wines for the summer. It is best served chilled (perfect for hot days and warm nights) and its crisp, dry nature makes it a good friend to light and heavy fare alike. And with a little bit of sunshine, this rosé comes up roses.

Amy Award: 3.5 stars (out of 5)
Spendy Scale: $15
Best bet: A backyard BBQ or a summer afternoon with friends