Winter rose: Rose wine isn’t just for summer sipping
Rose and its popularity has soared. With summer a distant memory, rose doesn’t have to be forgotten. Winter rose is a perfect during the colder months.
After the summer sun has faded, wine drinkers tend to put those pretty bottles of rose back in the cellar. Rose has taken over wine glasses throughout the warmer months. Women and men have been drawn to the fruity, light rose wine. But, what about the rest of the year? Why can’t you enjoy rose all year long. With winter rose, you can enjoy rose any time of the year.
Winter rose by Hazelfern Cellars photo by Cristine Struble
Winter rose is a barrel aged rose. Basically, a rose is placed into oak wine barrel for aging. While aging wine started out of necessity, oak barrels imparted very pleasing flavors to wine. From making wine softer to adding some pleasant flavors, aging wine in oak barrels is very common.
By barrel aging the rose, the wine has more complexity and character. While traditional rose is fruity, light and slightly acidity, the barrel aged variety has more body and texture. Although it maintains its fruit notes, there is more heft than the traditional rose.
One delightful barrel aged rose is winter rose from Hazelfern Cellars. Made from predominantly pinot noir with some chardonnay and tempranillo, this wine is perfect with hearty, winter foods. The savory notes in this wine make is a perfect pairing for winter stews, roasted meats or even a hearty soup.
Winter rose by Hazelfern Cellars paired with braised short ribs, photo by Cristine Struble
On a cold, winter evening, I tried this Hazelfern Cellars wine with a meal of braised short ribs and polenta. Usually, I enjoy that type of rich dinner with a big, bold red wine. Instead, I paired the food with this winter rose. The pairing was quite enjoyable.
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The wine was able to balance the richness of the short ribs. Slightly fruity on the nose, the wine was subtle yet still quite flavorful. The savory notes were apparent but not obvious. Overall, the wine worked quite well with the robust dinner.
For people who long for their summer rose, this wine is a lovely option. While it isn’t exactly the same as the traditional rose, this barrel-aged rose has those fruity qualities to bring back all the rose memories. Even if the wine isn’t paired with a winter meal, the barrel-aged rose is delightful on its own. It is a nice break from traditionally heavy winter wines.
Don’t pine for rose season during the long, winter months. Open a bottle of winter rose and toast to the good times.