The Bloom
is on Rosé
The much-maligned pink wine is getting more respect
By Liza B. Zimmerman
A
ANGIE SILVY
s consumers become more sophisticated about wine,
restaurant operators are seeing a growing respect for
and interest in rosés, primarily the dry varieties. These
refreshing wines—which tend to get a boost when temperatures
get warmer—offer a range of flavors and flexibility in food pairing
that's making them a new favorite at many establishments.
It helps that the overall quality of rosés has risen, says Chris
Tang, wine director at San Francisco-based restaurant Baker
& Banker. He says that customers with an open mind and an
adventurous side tend to seek out rosés. Baker & Banker carries
three rosés, priced at $12 a glass and $35 to $75 a bottle.
Rosés tend to be more popular with people who have a
particular appreciation of and education in wine and food, says
Bretton Lammi, sommelier at The Cosmopolitan in Las Vegas.
The 2,995-room resort carries a diverse section of 18 different
rosés property-wide.
The Cosmopolitan's featured restaurants—Comme Ça, Jaleo
and Estiatorio Milos—all feature rosés by the glass, priced
from $8 to $12; bottles of rosé sell for $30 to $50. Each of the
Cosmopolitan's signature restaurants offer rosés from the home
country of their cuisine, so some of the highlighted wines are
from France, Spain and Greece.
SHEDDING ITS TOO-SWEET REP
More restaurants and bars are starting to carry better rosés
now flowing in from various countries and regions, with France
and California often leading the list in the U.S. Customers are
learning to appreciate them, with many guests "spreading the
word and the knowledge about the serious winemaking behind
[rosés]," Lammi says.
www.cheersonline.com
At Bluestem Brasserie in San Francisco, rosés pair well with salads.
MAY 2013 |
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