Traditional Christmas or New Year holiday celebration party. Friends or family feasting and clinking glasses with rose wine at festive Christmas table with homemade snacks, square cropFoxys_forest_manufacture/AFP/Getty Images
For many Canadian wine lovers, rosé is something to sip on a patio, by the pool or on a dock, only to get cast aside for something red or white when the outdoor furniture goes into storage. But years of dedicated, independent research has shown me well-made rosés can taste just as delicious with turkey and cranberry sauce in December as they do with a niçoise salad in August.
In France, rosé has become a year-round option thanks to the changing tastes of younger drinkers. Less meat eating has led to a decline in red wine sales (down 32 per cent over the past decade) and, more recently, rosé has eclipsed white wine in consumer preference.
By contrast, sales of rosé in Canada reflect the weather. Cool and rainy days in June, July or August mean rosés are passed over for something else. Discounting starts soon after Labour Day as wineries and liquor stores look to move their inventory. That means there are bargains to be had at this time of year.
Sparkling rosés and pink Champagnes don’t suffer the same fate as still wines. Those bubbles change our perspective, I suppose. They are received as more festive, perhaps more serious wines, thanks to the playful effervescence. A bottle of Laurent-Perrier Cuvée Brut Rosé Champagne, Veuve Clicquot Brut Rosé Champagne, or Moët & Chandon Grand Vintage Extra Brut Rosé Champagne 2015 wouldn’t seem out of place at a holiday dinner party.
But good rosé has a place, too. You might be surprised how well it handles more substantial or spicy dishes.
A stylish example is the LVE French Rosé 2022, produced in the South of France as a collaboration between winemaker Jean-Charles Boisset and pop star John Legend, was part of a recent release at LCBO Vintages outlets. It shows the sophisticated ripe and tangy mix that makes French brands like Whispering Angel and Miraval appealing. More affordable French selections are produced by Gérard Bertrand, such as the bestselling Côte des Roses Rosé and equally enjoyable Gris Blanc and Source of Joy rosé labels.
Many Canadian wineries are also reliable sources for exciting rosés, particularly examples produced from pinot noir, cabernet franc or gamay. Wineries in Ontario to seek out include Malivoire (Ladybug or Vivant), Trius (Brut Rosé sparkling) and Henry of Pelham (Cuvée Catharine Rosé Brut). British Columbia bottles of note include Bartier Brothers Rosé, Mission Hill Reserve Rosé and Unsworth Rosé.