From Editor-In-Chief JULIANNE:

Dear Rosé,

Although I had tasted you several times in my early to mid 20s, honestly… I just wasn’t that into you…until I picked up a cheap bottle of you at Trader Joe’s in West Seattle back in 2012. Over the next 5 years, I’d grow quite fond of you; sipping on a glass of you pretty much everywhere I go. 

Everything about you is a delight to us here at Girls on Food; your pale pink color, your dry, light-to-medium body and that fruity aroma. If this we were together in a movie, it would be Love, Actually and we’d all confess our love to you the way Andrew Lincoln’s character did to Kiera Knightly. To us, you are perfect.

My favorite rosé is Cloud Chaser. It’s my go-to whether I’m watching Real Housewives of… well, Anywhere, or enjoying a home-cooked meal. It’s one of the most versatile rosés I’ve ever come across.  

With #nationalroséday approaching tomorrow, a bunch of the Girls on Food wanted to share our favorite rosé bottles and recipes.

Congratulations to your growing success!

XOXO,

Julianne

VICTORIA: The Rose scene is new to me. I wanted to get into it like five years ago when I became a Bravo Housewife junky. I couldn’t find any unless it was a champagne version. Nowadays it seems like it’s EVERYWHERE.

Vinudilice caught my eye from the artistic label and the fact that it’s grown in the highest vineyard in Europe. The small (.35 hectare) vineyard is more than a century old and it’s on the side of a volcano named Etna in Sicily. It’s an up and coming area in Europe and the producer Salvo Foti is truly gifted in every aspect of the wine making process. I was lucky enough to meet him last year. He’s an incredible person and makes incredible wine. He uses old school techniques and even has a donkey working in the vineyard!

Fun fact: No refrigeration, yeasts or filtration are used in the winemaking process.

This bottle is acidic with a hint of tangerine and grapefruit. I’m not shy about being hard on wines and I can’t seem to complain about this one. It’s balanced, refreshing and sexy. A totally different style than the norm of rosé today.

PAULA: Out of all of the wonderful wines in the world, the prettiest by far, is a good rosé. The pink, floral colouring, the inviting visual abundance of a classic yet fun glass of wine is so intriguing. My most favourite, visually and flavour wise, is Henry of Pelham Rosé 2016.

   This rosé, Henry of Pelham, is a fan favourite of mine for many reasons. First off, it’s affordable at a whopping $14.95 a bottle. Legit, it’s a powerhouse of a wine for a total steal! For a night with the girls, I always bring this along because even my non-wine-drinking-friends absolutely love it.

       Secondly, the flavour. Ohhhh the flavour. It’s literally sweet little rose petals combined with hints of cherry berry  bursts ending with a dry apple finish. Crisp yet refreshing sips perfect for summer nights. To pair anything with this, I would keep it simple. A good brie and a glass of this Rosé can go a long way in life.

      Lastly, this bountiful wine is Canadian. Hailing from the Niagara Peninsula  in St. Catharines, Ontario. It has a unique background. Their winery began in the 18th century and was restored and named after the first man to get it all started, Henry Smith. Pelham is the road that crossed his property. Three brothers run the winery now which I absolutely love because it is totally a family run business.

     As the summer begins, this is the beverage that will kickstart the warm weather for me. And because my mom always made me say please…rosé s’il vous plaît .

AMANDA: Before there was frosé, there was this cool, sweet treat that doesn’t require a blender. You can vary the fruit depending on what you have on hand; strawberries or raspberries would be delicious. You’ll need to make a simple syrup, and to do this, simmer equal parts water and sugar in a saucepan over medium heat for 10-15 minutes; turn it off when the mixture reduces and looks syrupy. Take it off the heat and add a handful of washed basil or mint (if using) and let sit until cool. Strain into a jar or bottle and keep in the fridge for 3-4 weeks.

Blackberry-Rosé Granita

Serves 8-10

Ingredients

1 half of a 750 ml bottle of rosé

1 handful of blackberries

1/2 cup simple syrup (plain or infused with mint or basil, if you like)

juice of half of a lemon

Instructions

1. With a muddler or the handle of a wooden spoon, smash the blackberries in a mug or jar. Pour them into a strainer over a bowl or measuring cup and pour the rosé over the blackberries.
2. Discard the blackberry pulp or reserve for another use. Add lemon juice and simple syrup and stir. Pour into a freezer-safe container and freeze.
3. Every 2-3 hours, take it out and mush it up with a fork, ensuring slushy, soft crystals. If you forget about it, you’ll just have to work a lot harder to scrape it up at serving time, but it will nevertheless be delicious.
4. Scoop into pretty serving dishes and garnish with herbs, if you like. Serve immediately.

CATHERINE COURTNEY: In honor of National Rosé Day, I wanted to share with you all one of my all-time favorite rosés, Whispering Angel.  I had the opportunity to visit Chateau D’Escalans when I was in Provence, France a few summers ago and was blown away with their winery. Chateau D’Escalans produces four different rosé wines: Whispering Angel, Rock Angel, Les Clans, and Garrus. While I had a chance to sample all four variations, Whispering Angel still came out on top.

So, let’s get down to the details!

Price Point: Average Retail Price: 21.99/bottle. (If you are lucky you can find this at Costco for 16.99/ bottle)

Characteristics: Pale pink; citrus aromas (think grapefruit, blood orange); hints of peach and strawberry; smooth finish

Alcohol Content: 13.5% ABV

Region: Provence, France

Sizes: 375ML (Half bottle); 750ML; 1.5L; 3.0L (For those of you who REALLY enjoy rosé!)

When thinking about what to pair this with, I really struggled. I hate pigeonholing myself into one type of cuisine to pair wine with. I am a firm believer that you can pair wine with any type of cuisine. Whispering Angel is one of my go-to wines.  It’s perfect to take to the beach, sip by the pool or even pour a glass when you get home to unwind. After all, Rosé All Day!

JISELLE: Belleruche is a French rosé from the Rhone River region. It’s fruity, delicate and refreshing and is officially my favorite rose of all time!

I can distinctly remember the day I fell in love with Belleruche Rosé. It was mid-week, rainy and I had just had the craziest day at work. I went straight to the wine store after work and walked right to the rosé section. At the time, I wasn’t a huge rosé drinker, but for whatever reason, I was in the mood for it. There Belleruche was, beautiful and blush. It looked fancy but was affordable so I bought it!

Belleruche rosé has become my go-to unwind after work wine, and I’d recommend it to anyone in a heartbeat. Next time you are looking to try something new, definitely grab a bottle. 

FATBOI TENDENCIES: What better way to celebrate Galentine’s Day than with some rosé? Well that’s exactly what the Fatbois did this year. As per the genius of Fatboi friend Elisa, we concocted Push Pop Mimosas. All you need to recreate this is a bottle of your favorite rosé (we chose Sutter Home’s Pink Moscato, made from rosé) and a tub of rainbow sherbet. You fill your glass halfway with bubbly and add a dollop of sherbet for an adult version of the classic ice cream truck treat. Cheers to that! -Jess 

DANIELLE: When I told my husband that #nationalroséday was coming up he told me he would go out and buy me a special bottle. Of course it took him a few days to purchase my bottle (insert my eye roll here) but he bought me this little beauty, Charles and Charles Rosé! It’s light, smooth, fragrant, and under $20! I almost drank the whole bottle in one sitting (no judging!).

I paired it crusted baked chicken and roasted carrots but it also lovely by itself. Although it’s fantastic straight out of the fridge, I actually prefer it after it sat out for a bit, as it seemed to open up a bit. Once it settled it tasted like crisp perfection. This can be found at many grocery stores and my personal favorite store….TARGET!

ALEX: What’s better than rosé? FROZÉ! This is my new go to summer cocktail. Super simple, so refreshing and so easy. My go-to is Carayon La Rose.

Blend a bag of frozen berries and as much rosé as your little heart desires until it reaches a slushie consistency, and drink up!

Quick, easy and refreshing!