A lovely glass of ros wine not only looks like spring, with its Easter egg pale salmon color sparking in the first hints of sunny warmth, but it also tastes like spring. A good glass of ros, like spring, is crisp and hints of good things to come. 

Ros Enjoyment is sweet, the taste is not
Contrary to the popular notion of ross (entrenched by the marketing success of cheap white Zinfandel and blushes) a well-structured ros has body and tannin and is anything but sweet. And to know how a true ros is made offers a logical explanation to its crisp and fairly dry character. A rose wine is traditionally made purely from red grapes. During the initial fermentation, the skins and solids (which give the wine its color and much of its tannin) are then removed when the wine reaches its color intensity.  Once all solids are removed, the wine is then finished in the same manner as a white wine.  So, really a true ros wine is a red wine, only its color and tannins are softened and minimized to make it a ros.

Because of its red wine characteristics, a rose makes for an excellent accompaniment to foods. And because of its minimal tannins, lovely color and cool crispness, it makes for a seductive spring wine. Combine the two, and a rose becomes the perfect complement to Easter brunch or dinner. 

Vino Vixen Ros Picks
2005 LAire du Rossignol – $14.99
Mont Redon
40% Grenache, 50% Cinsault and 10% Syrah
Cotes de Provence
France
Kobrand Imports
More than 75 percent of all wine produced in Provence are ross.  And since the Cotes de Provence covers the French Riviera, its easy to understand why.  First, this wine is consumed in massive quantities in this area with its sun-soaked beaches and warm cafes, these ross are a natural complement to the French Riviera lifestyle.  Secondly, in this warm climate, the grapes that compose Provence roses simply thrive and impart lovely fruit concentration and acidity; perfect for a crisp ros. This particular rose is fresh and lively with hints of strawberry and mineral; as dry as it should be.  Try this with a seafood salad. With Cotes de Provence embossed on the neck and bottom of the glass, youll want to save it to display your spring flowers after you imbibe its luscious contents.

2005 Gran Fuedo Rose -$9.99
Chivite
100% Garnacha
Navarra, Spain
This ros from Spain is made with 100 percent Garnacha. The Garnacha grape ripens slowly, allowing for a greater intensity of fruit. Even when not produced in the ros style, this grape tends to produce lighter colored wines so it lends itself particularly well to making ross.  Youll taste bright raspberry in this one, with hints of pepper; perfect for Easter fish dishes at dinner or cold salmon for brunch.

2006 Sunset
Rose $9.99
Twin Fin
100% Sangiovese
Monterey County, California
The Sangiovese grape has always been one of my favorite quaffable varietals.  Most know the grape as a product of Chianti and we all know how easy a Chianti goes down with a pizza or simple pasta dishes.  Imagine how much more drinkable Sangiovese would be if it had less tannins and more chill on the bottle?  Thats what this wine is all about; a fun, drinkable bottle that goes down easy.  Careful on this one, a sip easily turns into a glass, which turns into a second and third

The Vino Vixen is Mari Stull Founder of Club BV, former Vice President of Virtual Wine Selector, and member of the Society of Wine Educators.  Have a wine question or comment for Mari?  She can be reached at VinoVixen@vinovixen.org.