You probably noticed there were different types of rosé the same way we did—by drinking a lot of it. And while rosé happens to be a very versatile wine, there are certain foods it pairs best with, if you’re fancy and so inclined. To get the scoop, we chatted with Heidi Turzyn, wine director for Gotham Bar and Grill, and she gave us the scoop:
“The taste profiles for rosé wines vary based on the different grape varietals used and the time on the skins,” says Heidi. “The Saignée method will leave you with a light pink hue that will be dry with subtle aromatics… Examples of other varietals would be Cabernet Franc leading to savory notes, or Pinot Noir offering more fruit. If the wine is a darker hue it may give a touch of tannins and will have a fuller mouth feel. These different styles make rosé wines extremely versatile.”
Don’t worry, that doesn’t mean our favorite pink drink is about to get complicated.
Here, a simple guide to the foods that pair best with your beloved rosés. Bonus: We also included our very favorite pink wines as well as the things we ate with them that weren’t expert-approved but still tasted good (because you don’t always have time to buy fancy cheese).
#RoséAll—Eh, You Get It
Recommended food pairings: Heidi recommends choosing a pale pink light rosé, which tends to be drier, to pair with light dishes such as salads, fruit, seafood, shellfish and crudités.
Saved 2016 Magic Maker Rosé, $16
Tasting notes: bone dry with a rich body and light fruit flavors
Paired with: random Sugarfina candies found in our purse
Tasting notes: dry and floral
Paired with: $10 avocado toast
Tasting notes: peach and candied orange with an acidic finish
Paired with: two bowls of Special K, three pieces of turkey bacon, a handful of popcorn, five peanut butter M&Ms and like three pieces of licorice
2016 Paraduxx Napa Valley Rosé, $32
Tasting notes: wild strawberry, orange blossom, watermelon and lemon rind
Paired with: turkey breast and arugula salad (because, health)
Tasting notes: raspberry, strawberry and vanilla
Paired with: empty stomach
2016 Presqu’ile Santa Maria Valley Pinot Noir Rosé, $22
2016 Presqu’ile Santa Maria Valley Pinot Noir Rosé, $22
Tasting notes: fresh strawberries
Paired with: overpriced poké bowl
Recommended food pairings: "If the BBQ dish has light spice flavors, try a rosé with a good amount of fruit," says Heidi. Darker-hued, full-bodied fruity rosés pair extremely well with a smoky BBQ dish.
Tasting notes: watermelon, orange peel and rose petal
Paired with: quinoa veggie bowl (JK, it was pizza)
Guigal Cotes du Rhone Rose, $14.99
Tasting notes: red fruit and citrus
Paired with: French toast, because brunch
Tasting notes: strawberry, key lime, rosewater and pineapple
Paired with: A vegan burger that was approached with trepidation, but turned out to be surprisingly delicious
2016 Decoy California Rosé, $20
Tasting notes: strawberries, watermelon, lemon zest and wildflowers
Paired with: grilled Hawaiian BBQ chicken
2016 Goldeneye Vin Gris of Pinot Noir, $32
Tasting notes: flowering stone fruit, honeysuckle, wet slate
Paired with: Sweetgreen grain bowl
J. Lohr Gesture Grenache Rosé, $18
Tasting notes: Asian pear, strawberry and berry sorbet
Paired with: pulled pork tacos and gallons of salsa
2016 MacRostie Russian River Valley Pinot Noir Rosé, $25
Tasting notes: wild strawberries, ripe orchard peaches and zesty tangerines.
Paired with: Oreos, TBH
Tasting notes: wild raspberries, sugar flakes, red fruits and violet flowers
Paired with: Shake Shack
Sterling Vineyard Vintner’s Collection Rosé 2016, $12
Tasting notes: strawberry, summer berries and florals
Paired with: sweet potato toast
Recommended food pairings: Try pairing your sparkling rosé with sweets—the crispness will balance out the sugar. Because of said crispness, it really pairs well with anything.
2016 Albatross Ridge Pétillant Naturel Rosé, $40
Tasting notes: fruity and crisp
Paired with: A coveted Trader Joe's cauliflower crust pizza that we had to fight someone for
Santa Margherita Sparkling Rosé, $22
Tasting notes: floral, white fruit and subtle berries
Paired with: Magnolia Bakery banana pudding
Tasting notes: raspberry, wild strawberry, cherry, blackberry, Viennese pastries
Paired with: moules-frites, because we know when to be fancy
Tasting notes: raspberries, strawberries and rose petals
Paired with: macarons (not to be confused with Macron)
