Red "Only" and White Wine "Only" drinkers...UNITE!

At the shop I work with some pretty great people. At worst they are wine curious and food aficionados (just like me). So after such a great weather weekend here in Boston I woke up rejuvenated and eager to hear what the others had been up to on a rare holiday off and - most importantly - what they ate and drank. Almost immediately I learned my coworker had also broken out her Weber - except she not only had thrown buffalo meat on the fire, but also pulled out a bottle of Rose to pair with it. This was nothing short of brilliance. I realize you may have just re-read my last two lines twice and are asking "Rose? Isn't that the horribly sweet pink wine my parents used to buy in a box and drink every night? White Zin or something?". Well, I suppose it could be as a few (American) folks are still making those wines. But likely if you're seeing pink wines fill the aisles or cooler at your wine shop and getting more mention on wine lists these days, those would NOT be the same wines our parents drank out of a box (or a 1.5L bottle). They would more likely be phenomenally tasty, DRY wines that pair with just about any fare and are at their best during warmer (or outright HOT) months.

Rose wines result when dark grape skins are allowed the briefest contact with the juice. This approach imparts a few mind-bottlingly fabulous things: just a hint of red pigments to give the wine its pink-ish color; just a touch more oomph (or body); and a kiss of tannin, so the wine is still at its tastiest when chilled but can also 'hold up' to heartier foods (like buffalo meat).

Rose sales in the U.S. have really started to take off the last few years. So at the shop we've worked to anticipate the demand and pre-order wines that are known to be tasty, sought-after finds. What's interesting is as we were recounting our weekend stories and getting the wine back in order, we noticed that one of our favorite Roses hasn't taken off quite as quickly this year. Is it because of the economy? Is it because our clientele is still waiting for (more consistent) warmer temps? Is it because folks aren't sure the (much-deserved) hype is worth trying some?

All I know is that Rose can be made from any red grape varietal and, as a result, there is something for everyone. Some of the most gorgeous offerings come via Tavel, France. Another one of my personal favorite styles is made from the Cabernet Franc grape; and these can also be sparkling. Yum! If you are even more of an adventure-seeker, apparently Slovenia is even dabbling in Rose. The point is ROSE IS GOOD. So go out and buy a bottle. And if you and your loved one can't agree on white or red wines, buy two (different ones, for the sake of experimenting, please).

Do you drink Rose? Why/not?

Science is fun! If not sometimes problematic...

Wine making is a science project. Heck, the entire liquor industry is one big experiment! That's a big part of what makes wine so darn fun to taste and learn about. So here's my latest evidence... Last Thursday night I wanted a nice glass of something "comforting" with my dinner. I had a bottle of a baby (e.g. $10) 2005 Bordeaux in my wine fridge I knew would scratch the itch perfectly. I unscrewed the cap (yep! a screw cap, so no fear of a corked bottle), poured myself a glass and began sipping. It was exactly as I remembered: bright red-berry fruit with hints of caramel, a supple mouthfeel, gentle tannins and a lingering, slightly spicy finish. I finished the first glass with dinner and poured myself a second while I watched the game. Yum. Since it was a 2005 Bordeaux, I decided to cap the bottle (rather than pump the air out) and tucked it back in my fridge for another night or two to see what it would do.

On Saturday night I was psyched to pull the bottle back out with dinner. I let it warm up to room temperature and poured my boyfriend and I each a glass. I was still munching when he went in for a sniff.... "Vanilla! No, BUTTERSCOTCH? Is it supposed to be like that?", was the reaction my previously yummy wine elicited. And, NO. It was not supposed to be like that. It not only smelled exactly like a butterscotch candy, it tasted like it. We dumped the bottle and moved on (yea back up wines). The experience got me thinking... can a wine start out great/normal and then turn out to be flawed?

So I did some additional research... What I learned was the wine could have been affected with too much diacetyl. Sometimes this can be a good thing, as the wine takes on buttery, nutty or even caramel-ish tendencies. I don't mind essence of caramel at all in my wine - either sniffing or sipping! What I find fascinating is that the mild caramel flavor I tasted on Thursday night could devolve SO dramatically so as to render the wine undrinkable by Saturday.

I'm going to continue my research on this phenomenon and recreate my experiment with another bottle. In the meantime, what's your experience with flawed wine? Do you know something more about Diacetyl?