DRINK – Pretty in Pink

Spring is now here! The pink wine was flowing at the Pink Out! event in San Francisco. It’s an annual happening celebrating Rose´wines, put on by the Rose´Advocates & Producers (RAP).  It’s a great reason to break out your pink clothes and accessories. Real men do drink and wear pink! And yes, that’s my pink shoe.

Rose´ wines are fantastic — dry and crisp and light, perfect for warm weather drinking. Rose´ is made from a variety of grapes, from Pinot Noir to Syrah to Tempranillo.

I tasted old and new favorites, so here’s my shout out list.

My “go to” Rose´ bottlings:
Lucia – a Rose´ of Pinot Noir from the Pisoni family. Zippy with lots of strawberry

Blackbird “Arriviste” -A beautiful Rose´ of Merlot

Azur Rose´ – I first discovered Julien Fayard’s delicious Rose´ at last year’s Pink Out. It’s as good as ever, a classic southern France-style wine, dry and crisp.

Discoveries:
Dunstan Wines Durell Vineyard – a rose of Pinot Noir, floral and strawberry notes. That’s Chris Towt holding the bottle. A man not afraid to wear pink — with a cowboy hat!

Amorosa Bella NV brut Rose´ – a sparkling Rose´that’s a blend of Pinot Noir and Chardonnay, made by Ziggy Eschliman, radio superstar “The Wine Gal.” It’s bright and lively and just a big yum!

Hendry Winery – a rose that’s a mouthwatering blend of Cabernet and Zinfandel.

Dacalier Wine Co – a Southern Rhone-style blend of Grenache and Mourvedre

Lasseter Family Winery – a classic GSM Rose´- Greanache-Syrah-Mourvedre blend. A lot of buzz about this wine from John Lasseter (Pixar) and family.

Best Values:
Wines from France’s Loire Valley, home to those amazing chateaux (or castles), were the steal of the event. These wines, called Rose´ d’Anjou, are about $10 per bottle! An easy wine to sip for the money. Seek these out in your local wine shop! Producers pouring at Pink Out! included Sauvion, Remy Pannier, Barton & Guestier and Marquis de Goulaine.

Best wine story
We were told that the Ros´ from French producer Chateau Minuty will be served at the Canned Film Festival, and we’re drinking this newly released Rose´ Cru Classe before the stars get to try it.

And finally, TasteLive.com made a splashy debut at Pink Out! I was interviewed about the event by Alan Kropf, editor of Mutineer magazine. It’s about 5 minutes, check it out here. It was shot/recorded by a computer camera, and as you can see, the field of view not big enough for both interviewer and interviewee. Ah well, I was in head-to-toe pink, even had on bright fushia lipstick and gloss.
http://www.tastelive.com/pinkout/events/rap-pink-out-san-francisco-2010