What Pairs Best with Rosé Wine?

Once the weather starts to warm up, rosé becomes a go-to drink for many oenophiles — and it's easy to see why. Wine lovers like that it’s not as heavy as red wine but still packs enough punch to bring out the flavors of grilled meats.

If you're planning a brunch, lunch, or dinner party this summer — and you really should! — make sure you have the best rosé wine and food pairings to make your gathering a smashing success.

Making rosé wine

Contrary to popular belief, rosé isn’t a blend of white and red wine; rather, think of it as being one step away from red. To give red wine its bold color, winemakers add plenty of red grape skins to the batch. With rosé wine, they simply add fewer red skins or don’t allow juice to sit in the skins for as long.

The result is a wine with the body of a red wine but the crisp, refreshing nature of a white. Needless to say, it’s the best of both worlds.

5 different types of rosés

Most of us call any wine with a pink tint to it rosé. While that’s not technically wrong, it’s also not totally right. Just like red and white wine, there are dozens of different types of rosés you can enjoy. Depending on what you’re eating, some rosés will complement your meal better than others.

1. Light off-dry rosés

Like its name implies, a light off-dry rosé is best for lighter meals. Summer salads, rice dishes, and spiced curries pair well with very dry rosés.

2. Medium dry rosés

In addition to the foods that light, off-dry rosé pairs well with, medium dry rosé goes well with sweeter foods and desserts. Chocolate, fruit, cakes, and cookies have the perfect amount of sweetness to bring out the many flavors in dry rosés.

3. Fruity rosés

Fruity rosés tend to be more hit or miss with people — either you really love them or you really don’t. If you’re in the former group, consider yourself lucky, because fruity rosés (and fruity wines in general) go well with many different foods, including seafood (lobster, seared salmon, tuna), duck, lamb, and white cheeses, such as brie.

4. Full-bodied fruity rosés

Have you yet to find a food that’s too spicy for you? If so, you’ll love a full-bodied fruity rosé. With the body of a red and lightness of a white, these rosés go nicely with heavily seasoned Mexican or Indian food.

5. Sparkling rosé

As one of the most versatile sparkling wines, sparkling rosé tastes delicious with nearly every light appetizer and dessert on. If you’re pairing it with cheese and crackers, choose white cheeses, such as brie, and prosciutto. For dessert, try it with chocolate covered berries.

For the most part, any of the above-mentioned foods will go well with any glass of rosé. But, with our help, you can enjoy the best of the best pairings.

Now that your meal is perfect, don’t forget to decorate the table with rosé’s favorite flower — roses!