Orange Wine

At a recent wine tasting event, the theme was forgotten grapes. The goal was to try numerous grape varieties at one tasting event, of grapes that most people would be unfamiliar with. The first challenge was to find the wines. A quick internet search located a number of possibilities. Wines from Italy, Greece, Portugal, Austria and The Republic of Georgia, made for an interesting evening.

One of the more unusual wines was an “orange wine” from Georgia. The wine was made from four native grapes: Rkatsiteli, Kisi, Mtsvane and Saperavi.  Additionally, the wine was fermented in qvevris without additives and filtration.

So what is an “orange wine”?

Rose vs Orange

The easy answer is that it is to white wine, what rose is to red wine.  Rose involves very little contact with the red grape skins, in order to extract just enough color to leave a slightly pink hue. However, with orange wine, we have white grapes with limited skin contact, extracting some of the skin pigment, tannins and phenols.  Normally, this would be undesirable for a white wine, whereas for reds, skin contact is a vital part of the process.  Typically white wine production involves crushing the grapes and quickly moving the juice off the skins into the fermentation vessel.

Fermentation with skins

The practice of extended skin contact with white wine grapes has long history in the Caucasus region. In Georgia alone, this winemaking style goes back at least 8000 years, where they are often aged in clay vessels (qvevri) or wooden barrels. Qvevri are lined with beeswax and buried in the ground, which provides natural temperature control and slow, oxidative aging that produces earthy, texturally distinct skin-contact wines.  More recently, Italy has adopted this style, particularly in the Friuli-Venezia Giulia wine region, with Pinot Grigio.

Orange wines get their name from the darker, slightly orange tinge that the white wines receive due to their contact with the coloring pigments of the grape skins. The actual color can range from bright gold to a tawny brown (for more oxidized wines).

On the palate, these wines can easily be mistaken for red wines. They have the body, texture and moderate tannins, found in red wines. But, they have the fruit and aromas of a white wine. They are confusing wines. Try doing a tasting in a black wine glass, and see how easily it is to stump your wine drinking friends.

qvevri

Just as rose wines, orange wines offer a good compromise when you can’t decide between white or red. For example, white wine would traditionally accompany fish and red wine would accompany meat. Orange wines are delicate enough to pair with fish, but are also structured enough for red meat.

Even though these are white wine grapes, there is no need to chill. To serve correctly, serve them at cellar temperature. You may also want to decant the wines, and allow the aromas to open up.

Back to our wine for the evening: 2012 Orgo Rkatsiteli. I would say it was 50/50 on people liking the wine, and others finding it “odd”.  The amber colored wine had notes of apricots, dates, beeswax, dried orange peel, and cinnamon…all white wine notes. But, on the palate, there were defined tannins, and a mouthfeel of a red wine. In a blind tasting (literally blindfolded), I would be hard-pressed to determine what this was, because of the mixed sensory signals.

Many people consider these types of wines as a passing fad (tell that to the Georgians, and their 8,000 years). Some even claim that these are actually “flawed” wines from winemakers that haven’t learned to make wine “properly”.  It is hard to call it a fad, when it really hasn’t caught on yet. How many have you seen in your local wine store?

I guess the jury is still out, and only by tasting them will you be able to either share their virtues, or dismiss their novelty. Whatever your until impression, make a point of at least seeking some orange wine out, and give it a try. Then, share your comments on this blog.

German Wine Pairing Dinner

It has been a few months, but our small gourmet dinner group finally got together for another wine pairing dinner. This time it was my turn to host, meaning I need to come up with the theme, and create the 5-course meal. As the Sommelier in the group, I always have the duty of determining the wine pairing for each course.

If you are a regular reader of this blog, you know the process...all the recipes are researched and made with authentic ingredients (even if we have to import them) and made in the traditional style. In the past we have done Sicily, Spain, Tuscany, Nicaragua, Chile, Norway, Burgundy, to name a few. This night we gathered for a full German Dinner, paired with German wine and beer.

We decided that rather than focus on a specific region within Germany, that we would create a meal that represented Germany as a whole, and with items we could have some fun with. I have always wanted to try cooking a Christmas goose, so the menu was developed around that idea. What follows is a recap of each course, and the wine that was paired.

The goal of our small group is not only to have a great dinner, paired with the perfect wine, but to also learn new cooking techniques. Our first course was the perfect example. While a soft pretzel with mustard may not be a "glamorous" opening course, it was fun and tasty. My friends, Jeff & Lisa took this as their course, and described the process of making a pretzel, plus the challenges of getting the twist...which they gave up on, and created straight pretzels (which worked better for dipping in mustard anyway). I paired this opening course with German Beer. Originally, I had only purchased a lighter Hopfen Weisse (Wheat Beer), but added a Black Lager at the last minute. I found that the original choice of the Hopfen Weisse paired best with this course, enhancing the yeastiness of the pretzels and allowing the German mustard to come through.

For our first "sit down" course, we had a dumpling soup, made by Bruce & Kathleen. The dish is known as Maultaschensuppe in Germany, and is basically a chicken broth, with homemade meat-stuffed dumplings. The dumplings are more like a ravioli, but made in a slightly different assembly process. For this course, I paired a German Rose of Pinot Noir: 2012 Meyer Nakel Rose from the Ahr region.

By this time, the goose I was cooking was not quite done, so we had a bit of a break. I opened a bottle of German Pinot Noir, to sip, as we waited. Due to the cool climate, German Pinot Noirs are very light, with fairly high acidity.

The main course was a 12 pound roasted goose, stuffed with brandied fruit. I served this along with homemade bread dumplings. If you have never tried cooking a goose, let me give you a hint...cook it like a duck, and not chicken or turkey. It is dark meat, very fatty and rich. It can be served medium to medium rare. My recipe said to cook to 180 degrees, but I took it out at 161. Next time, I would take it out at 140, as I felt it was a bit overcooked. It wasn't dry, but I think it lost something with the extra time. The brandied fruit stuffing was very good, as were the dumplings. I went straight for the traditional goose pairing: Riesling. I wanted something with some fruit, but a bit of age. I chose the Dr. Hermann 2006 Spatlese "Herzley" from Mosel. Now, before you question going from beer to rose to red, then to a white, let me explain...this is a full bodied white, and came across much heavier than the pinot noir. The slight sweetness and fruit flavors paired beautifully with the rich goose, and fruit stuffing. This is a classic that everyone needs to try at least once in their life.

Following the European tradition, the fourth course was a cheese course. I had purchased five German cheeses from igourmet.com. All were cows milk cheeses, and two were smoked. They were: Allgau Emental, Smoked Ammerlander, Cambazola, Rauchkase, and German Tilsit. Also on the cheese plate were blackberries, grapes, pecans and dark rye toasts. We paired this with a dark, fruity 2012 Dornfelder from Gerd Ansleman. This was a nice pairing, except for one cheese. The extremely strong and pungent Tilsit was overpowering, and I would leave that cheese out next time.

We ended the evening with  a dessert course of Frankfurter Kranz. My friends, Lauren and Mark created this dessert. It is a "crown cake" with layers of white cake and jam. The smooth, sweet frosting is covered with cherries and candied pecans. I paired this with a wonderful German sweet Riesling cross: 2005 Pfeffingen Beerenauslese Herrenberg Scheurebe. This worked great with the sweetness of the cake. We also ended the evening with Pharisaeer, and strong coffee, mixed with a sugar cube, Jamaican dark rum, and topped with whipped cream. Delicious!

I hope this simple recap of our German wine pairing dinner will inspire you to try one on your own. Either copy our menu, or create your own. Have fun with it. If you can't afford to go to Germany, dress up the table, buy a couple Oktoberfest music CD's and make an evening of it...just like we did!

Restuarant Wine Tasting

Sometimes, the most challenging wine tasting events are the ones that don't have a theme. I just go out and purchase wines for a tasting, and it is basically whatever I felt like buying at the time. So what does a photo of quesadillas have to do with wine tasting? Keep reading....

For the last wine tasting event with the Arrowhead Wine Enthusiasts, it was a bit more challenging. For the first time, we were meeting in a restaurant whose menu featured half Mexican food and the other half was steaks and seafood. We were limited on what types of appetizers would be available for the tasting. We had steamed clams, and mussels in garlic, along with chicken tenders, onion rings, and steak quesadillas. An odd mix, but I will tell you, all the attendees felt this was one of the best tastings we had done in a restaurant. The trick was finding the right wines to work with the odd mix of hors d'oeuvres. Food pairing is always a key component to a tasting!

The steamed clams and mussels were the easiest to pair. I decided to go for a wine that most of the attendees were probably unfamiliar with, as well as one they would recognize (at least recognize the name, not necessarily the taste). For the first wine, we went with the Sauvion Muscadet Sevre-et-Maine Sur Lie Cardinal Richar. A long name for a wonderful white wine from the Nantes, in Loire France. The grape is Muscadet, or better known as Melon de Bourgogne. I'll write about this wine on my next blog.

The second wine was Mer Soleil Silver un-oaked Chardonnay from the Santa Lucia Highlands in Monterey California. While everyone is familiar with Chardonnay, they may not know what an un-manipulated Chardonnay tastes like. This crisp, clean Chardonnay was a nice pairing for the seafood, and went surprisingly well with onion rings, and the guacamole.

For the third wine, I took a risk. I have found that most people are still reluctant to try Rose, thinking they are sweet. But what better wine is there for a transition from white to red, and that can work with all types of foods? While I am a big fan of certain California Roses (those that follow this blog will know my favorites), I decided to go with a French wine from Provence. I chose the Domaine Fontanyl Rose de Provence. Very dry, with a somewhat bitter finish, but nice amounts of strawberry, cherry and watermelon on the palate.

The transition into reds was the toughest wine to choose. The challenge with Mexican food is usually the heat, and high alcohol levels can accentuate the heat. I wanted something fruity, but wanted dark red fruit. I focused in on Zinfandel (a notoriously high alcohol wine, due to high natural sugar content).  The California Sierra Foothills produce some nice jammy zinfandels. So, I looked for a low alcohol wine, and found it in the Shenandoah Special Reserve Zinfandel. There was just a little bit of Petit Sirah added, making this a fruity wine, with nice acidity, soft tannins, and just the right balance...making it a prefect pairing for the steak quesadillas.

For the last wine of the evening, I went "heavy". I chose a wine from the Duoro region of Portugal. What is the best known wine of Portugal? Port! The Quinta Do Vale Meao Meandro is made from the same grapes as your dessert Port (Touriga Nacional, Touriga Franca, Tinta Roriz, Sousão, Tinta Barroca, and Tinto Cão), except it is not fortified, so is not sweet. The wine is deep red, full, dry and fruity, but had nice balance for a big wine. In hindsight, this wine could use some air, and I would have decanted it, or opened it up well ahead of time.

Hopefully these five wines will give you some ideas on what you can do, and encourage you to explore some wines that you wouldn't normally try. Oh, and that restaurant....if you are in the Lake Arrowhead area...check out the new Borderline Restaurant in Cedar Glen. Located in an old bordello, you might just be surprised my what Ricky is offering on the menu.

Lake Arrowhead Art and Wine Festival

For 31 years, the Lake Arrowhead Rotary Club has been running the Lake Arrowhead Art and Wine Festival. A few years ago, they expanded the wine selection, by including a VIP tent with higher quality wines, music, and food. I have been working that tent since the beginning, and always find it to be a great opportunity to talk with wine drinkers, and "newbies", and see where the public is on wine knowledge and tastes. This year was no different.

Last Saturday and Sunday, I poured wine, and spoke to hundreds of wine drinking patrons at the Lake Arrowhead Art and wine Festival. While I am not a member of the Rotary Club, they have been very generous with helping to expose people to this wine blog, and have taken a keen interest in learning more about the world of wine.

The VIP tent had unlimited (unless you had too much) pours of various wines from Paso Robles and Contra Costa County. Steve Bowie, the wine broker in charge, chose wines from Pomar Junction, Tamayo, Cass Winery and Thacher Winery. The Lake Arrowhead Resort (Bin 189 restaurant) was in charge of the appetizers, and music was provided by local musicians and singers, along the lakeside. The temperatures were perfect for a weekend of art, music and wine. Mid 70's and a slight breeze, which increased as the day progressed.

I only had a few opportunities to escape the VIP tent and wander around, but the artwork, ceramics, photography, woodworking, and jewelry are always exceptional. People from all over the mountain, and those just visiting for the day enjoyed the mountain air, and the wine.

I spent the time pouring wines from all four of the VIP wines. Most of the time was spent pouring Cass Winery and Thacher. Both of these wineries are located in Paso Robles. Cass is on the east side of the highway, and Thacher is on the west side. We had similar wines for each, and it was an opportunity for tasters to try wines from different climates in the same region. The Mourvedre, GSM (Grenache, Syrah, Mourvedre blend) and Syrah went head to head. It seemed pretty evenly split on what style people liked. For me, the Cass seemed to beat Thacher on their Mourvedre and Grenache. Thacher was a clear winner with it's Zinfandel (the 2009 Triumvirate).

I am always interested in what people are looking for, when they are not overly familiar with wine. One of my observations is that many people asked for sweet wine. After some discussion , and having them try a few wines, what they are really looking for is a fruity wine. We did not have any sweet wines to serve, but the stainless steel fermented Cass Viognier, Cass Grenache, and Thacher Zinfandel were clear winners for those looking for something with fruit.

I also found that there is clear confusion about Rose and blended wines. In the case of the Rose, we only had one to serve, and the majority of people were not interested in trying it, thinking that is was a white zinfandel. Once I got them to try it, they were surprised, and usually came back for more. As for the blends, I probably poured less of these than the pure variety based wines. What I observed is that most people still go to wine varieties they understand. Even the Mourvedre and Grenache were foreign to most tasters.

As for questions people had, most had to do with food pairings, and what food would go best with the wines presented, but I did have long discussion with one woman who was having headaches after drinking red wine. We talked about sulfites, yeast, bacteria, tannins, additives, and finally histamines (which was most likely the issue).

I love talking about wine with people, particularly when they want to learn more. I love drinking wine with people, and hearing how they experience the wine. This weekend was full of both. So, next year, if you are looking for something to do on a nice June weekend, keep the Lake Arrowhead Rotary Art and Wine Festival in mind. And, maybe, we'll see you up here!

Winemaker Dinner at Casual Elegance

Last month I shared with you, the process involved in putting together a winemakers dinner. Well, after five years that dinner came together last night at Casual Elegance.

Two months in advance, the dinner had sold out, and anticipation of the event had built. The guests were scheduled to arrive for a 5-course meal paired with the wines for Dragonette Cellars. Obviously, the wines were a draw, but having John Dragonette there, to present his wines, and share his wine stories, added to the excitement factor.

Those of us involved with the winemaker dinner arrived well before the guests. Chef Kathleen was already there when I had arrived at 5:30. The stove and oven were already in production mode, and the staff had just finished arranging the tables. The red wines had been opened up hours before, and were poured into decanters to help aerate them. The boxes of Riedel glassware were opened, glasses washed and polished. John Dragonette showed up a few minutes after me, and was introduced to the staff, and he discussed his wines with all of them.

At 6;30, the guests started to arrive, and were presented with the first wine of the evening: Dragonette Cellars 2011 Rosé, Santa Ynez Valley. This was a wonderful, dry rose made of Grenache, Mourvedre and Syrah. The fresh strawberry and raspberry aromas worked well with the appetizers that were carried around by the service staff. They presented the guests with a Smoked Salmon Mousse on flat bread, and a second appetizer of Strawberry Foccacia.

By 7:00, the guests had found their seats at the table, and staff brought out bread baskets of fresh rolls and flat bread, accented with sprigs of rosemary. On cue, the guests were served the first course of the evening: a Roasted Shrimp and Goat Cheese Walnut Salad with Granny Smith Apples and Balsamic Dressing. This was paired with the Dragonette Cellars 2010 Sauvignon Blanc, Happy Canyon of Santa Barbara. The wine is a wonderfully complex and elegant Sauvignon Blanc, and not what you would expect if you are used to the austere style wines most associate with the grape. This Sauvignon Blanc is barrel aged with lees stirring, which adds a good amount of body to the wine, but maintains the expected acidity. A very nice pairing!

The second course of the evening was a little counter-intuitive. Normally, we would have moved to the Pinot Noir, but we chose to go with the 2010 Grenache, Mourvedre, Syrah, Santa Barbara County. This wine has a velvety smoothness to it, with hints of sweet spices, that just popped out of the glass, when paired with the Roasted Chicken and Apple Sausage, served with roasted Fennel and Grapes. Sometimes, pairings work well, and other times, they are fantastic. This was one of the best pairings I have had with wine...a real "wow". The cinnamon and spice in the sausage worked beautifully with the flavors of the predominately Grenache based wine.

The third course was  grilled salmon filet with French Green Lentils and a Berry Thyme Sauce, and a side of grilled peach. This was paired with the 2010 Pinot Noir, Sta. Rita Hills. The wine is very full bodied for a Pinot Noir, and the berry aromas jump from the glass. There was a lot going on with this plate and the wine, and I felt the wine was overpowered by the entree. If done again, I think I would replace the salmon with a duck breast, as the salmon skin left a fish aftertaste that didn't work with the Pinot Noir.

After a palate cleanser of Mango sorbet, the fourth course was presented: Grilled Lamb Chops with Whipped Potatoes, and a last minute addition of savory Bread Pudding. While simple in appearance, it worked beautifully with the last wine of the evening, the Dragonette Cellars 2009 Seven. This was a dense wine, that is predominately Syrah based, with lesser amounts of Grenache and Mourvedre. Is there a better pairing for Syrah than lamb? I don't think so. The wine had been decanted about five hours in advance, but it could have been a day before. This wine will hold for another 3 to five years, and will be wonderful. The marriage of meaty flavors in the wine, worked with the slight gaminess of the Lamb. The last minute addition of a savory bread pudding helped emphasize the spices in the wine.

We ended the evening with an assortment of cheeses, purchased at the new wine & cheese shop in the Lake Arrowhead Village: The Grapevine". Along with the cheese was a mixture of fruits and crackers. Chef Kathleen surprised three of the guests with freshly made chocolate Birthday Cakes. The guests were offered the opportunity to purchase wines, and join the Dragonette Cellars wine club. Those that purchased wine received bottles that were signed by John Dragonette, as keepsakes.

So, after five years of trying to get a winemaker dinner together with Dragonette Cellars, we succeeded in meeting (and hopefully exceeding) expectations. The cost to guests was an incredibly low price of $65 (not including tax and tip). Chef Kathleen Kirk presented the guests with a culinary experience, and Dragonette Cellars has a bunch of new fans. I've been there all along, and I'm happy to have had the opportunity to expose others to this wonderful winery, and one of our local chefs.

Best Wines for a barbecue

The official kickoff to summer has always been Memorial Day. I have written about summer wines in a previous post, but we have never gone over the best drinks to have on hand for a barbecue (or BBQ). If you haven't pulled the barbecue out of storage, dusted it off, loaded the propane (or stocked up on the charcoal) then this weekend is the time to do it.

I would guess that most of you throw hamburgers or hot dogs on the grill, and down that with an ice-cold beer. Not a bad pairing, but what if you are not a beer drinker? What wines go best with foods grilled over the coals?

If you look back at my article on food and wine pairings, there are a few tips to help you out:

Grilling adds a bitter charred taste to foods. We can take two different approaches to bitterness, 1)match that bitterness with tannic wines, or 2) we can contrast that bitterness with fruitiness.

Some of the more tannic wines are: Cabernet Sauvignon, Sangiovese, Syrah, and Zinfandel. Notice they are all reds, as white wine does not contain tannin.

When we are looking to contrast, fruity wines can run all over the place. For reds, Gamay is definitely a fruity wine, as are some Pinot Noirs, but they are lighter wines, which might be overpowered by heavy meat dishes. Both Zinfandel and Syrah (particularly Australian Shiraz) can be fruity, with some tannin. White wines can also be fruit forward, but again, a delicate white wine might be overpowered by the meat. I would look for something with a bit more body, that can hold its' own against grilled foods. Riesling is always one of my "go to" wines, particularly for pork and sausages (the fat needs to be cut with some acidity, and Riesling does the job). You can also go to a Chardonnay, or maybe even a Chenin Blanc for Chicken. And...don't forget the Rose! One of my favorite summer wines, that pairs with most everything is a dry rose.

Beware of the barbecue sauce. Remember to add it to your meat towards the end, so it doesn't burn, and if it is spicy, choose a wine with lower alcohol, as the spice and alcohol combination will accentuate the heat.

My top choices for best wines to have on hand for the barbecue:
1. Zinfandel. Go for a lower alcohol (if that is possible) that is younger but with some tannin.
2. Syrah. Go for an Aussie version that is more fruit forward.
3. Rose. I like Bandol, Tavel, or some of the Roses coming out of California (usually Syrah, Grenache, Mourvedre or Pinot Noir based)...sorry, not a big fan of the Zinfandel based roses.
4. Riesling. I love a dry version from Alsace, France, or a dry Auslese from the Mosel region of Germany. This is a great pairing with sausages, brats, or hot dogs....and even some pork dishes with fruitier sauces.
5. Beer. How can you go wrong with beer?


One last tip...if your BBQ technique includes marinates, dry rubs and sauces...don't open up your best bottle of wine. Great bottles should be served with simple foods, where the wine can be the star. With barbecue, we want the wine and food to work with each other. Overpowering spices, will over power your wine, and isn't the ultimate joy,  the blending of the two?

What are your favorite/best wines with BBQ?

Summer Wines

"Then followed that beautiful season...summer...Filled was the air with a dreamy and magical light; and the landscape lay as if new created in all the freshness of childhood" - Henry Wadsworth Longfellow

Memories of my childhood summer include family barbecue, ice cream making, watermelons, family trips, hanging out with friends at the beach. Nowadays, I love to gather with friends by the lake. We might grill up some steaks or burgers, or may just sit and watch the sunset with some cheese and crackers. Either way, wine always finds its' way into the mix. So what makes a good summer wine?

My first thought is that during a warm summer evening, I really don't want anything too heavy, and would prefer to have something that is slightly chilled. But, being a Sommelier, I can't help but figure out the best wine to pair with the food at hand. When it comes to your own choices, reflect back on those childhood memories. Now I'm sure you weren't drinking wine in your childhood, but you might have been drinking a nice cool glass of lemonade, or a soda pop, or maybe even some Kool-Aid. Those beverages can give you clues to the types of wine that might excite you.

If lemonade was your choice, then think acidic wine. High acid wines are just as refreshing as that lemonade. These wines are typically white wines, and are served chilled. One of my favorite white wines is Riesling. I prefer the drier style that is found in Alsace, France, but have found some delicious dry wines in Germany too. Sauvigon Blanc and Chenin Blanc are two other wines that can make your mouth water on a summer evening. The acidity in white wines often taste like green apple or citrus. Acidic reds are a bit more challenging. How about Pinot Noir, Tempranillo, Nebbiolo, or Gamay? The acidity in reds can range from sour cherries to berry flavors. And, while many may disagree...I wouldn't be afraid to chill the reds too.

If soda was your beverage of choice, you may want to think sparkling wine. Not only do sparkling wines offer that refreshing effervescence, they also offer acidity, and a wide range of sweetness and fruitiness. But, you don't always have to go for a fully sparkling wine...try Moscato D'Asti...a frizzante (or semi sparkling) wine that is sweet. Or if you like a drier semi-sparkling wine, check out a Vinho Verde from Portugal. These are light bodied, dry, high acid, and wonderful on a hot evening.

For those Kool-Aid kids, go for those wines that have that strawberry, or berry flavors. This is where I think of some great Roses. I have a new appreciation for rose wine. If you look back a few months to my article on  rose versus white Zinfandel, you'll get some ideas. I have found some very good California roses either made from Syrah, Pinot Noir, Grenache, or Mourvedre. The big advantage that rose has over white and red wines is that it can be served with almost any type of food. It can be dry and acidic, or it can be semi-sweet and fruity. Find some rose, and give it a try.

One last idea...if you are hand cracking that tub of homemade ice cream, think dessert wine topping. I find that PX Sherry and vanilla ice cream are a crowd pleaser, and if chocolate ice cream is your choice, try a little Brachetto D'Aqui with your scoop.

So, enjoy the summer. Pour some great wines. Enjoy the time with your family and friends, as long as you can...at least for those of us living in the mountains...we're only a few months away from our next shovel of snow (my local mountain friends will hate that comment!).

It's Rosé, not White Zinfandel

Over the weekend, I met with a client who wants me to conduct a wine tasting party. When we got to discussing which wines to purchase, she said she would buy her own. I gave her some guidance on white and red wines, then I said she might want to include a rosé. She said, "Like white Zinfandel?". I hear this a lot. It is unfortunate that most people think of rosé as white Zinfandel, because they are missing out on some great, versatile wines. I find myself serving more and more rosé wines, and there is a growing rediscovery of these great wines..

To make rosé, the winemaker needs red grapes. As you are probably aware, most juice from red grapes is clear (there are a few exceptions). The wine from red grapes gets its' color from contact with the skins during the maceration process. The amount of time and temperature, as well as the pigment in the skins of the grapes, will eventually determine the color of the finished wine. To make rosé there are actually a few different approaches: blending; saignée; and skin contact. Blending is probably the least likely approach you'll see. In this process a little red wine is mixed into a white wine. The only wine region that admits to doing this is Champagne, for their pink sparklers. A more common method is known as saignée. In this process some of the juice is bled off of a tank of red wine. The remaining red wine is now more concentrated, with more color and  intensity. The amount that is bled off, is put into it's own vessel, and fermented to the desired alcohol and residual sugar levels. In the last method, the red grapes macerate with the skins for a short period of time. This is usually just enough to extract the desired color from the skins. The juice is then separated from the skins, and proceeds just like a white wine.

You may also hear the terms "blush" versus rosé. While these are probably considered interchangeable, I would suggest that blush wines have a bit more residual sugar and tend to be lighter in color. When I think of  blush, this is when I think of white Zinfandel. When I think of rosé however, I think of Southern France. Some of my favorite rosé wines are from Tavel and Bandol. These wines are made from Grenache/Cinsaut and Mourvedre, respectively. These wines can be expensive, and sometimes hard to find, but if you see it at your local wine store, buy a bottle and give it a try. These wines are not meant for storage, but are ready to enjoy within the year they are released. My favorite Bandol is Domaine Tempier.

Lately, I have been finding some very nice rosés coming out of the California Central Coast. Some of my favorites: Dragonette Cellars Rosé (Grenache, Syrah, Mourvedre), Ampelos Rosé (Syrah), Foley Rosé (Pinot Blanc), and  Mitchella Reluctant Rosé.

Back to the beginning...if you like white Zinfandel, then drink it. Sutter Home and Beringer make nice satisfying and refreshing wines. I find these as good "entry level" wines, for those who are starting to try wine. Heck, I started on Annie Green Springs, Boone's Farm and Asti Spumante (yes, I'll admit it,,, but it was over 30 years ago). As the weather warms up, and summer approaches, keep these great wines in mind (and on ice).