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SUMMER SIPPERS

Rosés make delightfully refreshing wines which pair well with casual cuisine.  The next time you are planning a meal on the patio or a picnic, try one of these wines for an excellent accompaniment to your meal.

In the past Rosé wines were generally sneered at by wine aficionados. Today however many people, even the connoisseurs, find the crispness and lightness very refreshing in hot weather, hence the name 'summer wines'.

Styles can vary widely, especially in Europe where Rosés can range from light and refreshing, to full and assertive with more subtle flavors. Rosé wines from the New World tend to be dry to off-dry, aromatic with riper fruit flavors. Some North American Rosés can be sweet and this distinction is highlighted by referring to a sweet Rose wines as 'Blush'.

After a lengthy period of declining popularity, it seems that Rosé wines may again be on the rise around the world. Pockets of enduring popularity in regions of France and Spain (where the cuisine is typically lighter) have ensured the survival of quality makers of Rosé wine.

The Masi Modello Rosato 2005 is one of our favorites from the famous Masi family of wines from Italy. It is a great value, from one of the top Italian winemakers, and is an excellent wine to enjoy during the summer months. 

This wine’s aromas and flavours are the result of careful vineyard selection and the use of grapes indigenous to the Venetian area. The wine has a brilliant pink color with purple reflections.  Its bouquet offers intense aromas of strawberry, raspberry and rose.  The good acidity level refreshes delightfully.  On the palate it offers aromas of wild cherries, berries, apple and lemon.  The wine has a good body with a delicate and persistent finish.

The Modello Rosato is the perfect summer sipper, as an apertif, with hors d’oeuvres, or as a picnic wine.  It is ideal with the light, fresh meals which we all enjoy in the hot summer heat.

Torres De Casta Rosado, now in screwcap, hails from the Catalonia region of Spain and is made from a combination of two traditional grape varieties: Garnacha and Carinena.

The Torres De Casta Rosado is elegant cherry in color over a light purple background.  The fine floral aroma is reminiscent of flowers such as mimosa and iris, and complemented by discreet fruity hints of plums and cherries.  Its smooth, rich palate and delicate aromas are prolonged in the finish.

This Rosé goes especially well with informal food, such as pasta, vegetables dishes, picnics and traditional Spanish tapas.  It is exceptionally good with recipes that use tomato or tomato sauce, including Italian pasta.

Wine lovers throughout the world are turning once again to this summertime favorite - Rosé.