Drink Pink

Nothing pairs with warm weather like rosé. Refreshing, versatile, and oh so pretty, it’s our top pick for what to sip throughout spring and summer. To help us make the most of our favorite pink drink, we reached out to the experts at Henri’s Cheese and Wine in Austin, Texas, for advice; here are their recommendations:

Celebrate rosé season. Bottles begin to be released in early April and continue to be released until the beginning of June. We love when rosés start coming in because it’s when the weather starts to get perfect in Austin, and they pair with anything light and fresh that we enjoy while being outside, like cheese, oysters, and spring fruits and vegetables.

• Find a favorite that suits your palate. Most of my favorite rosés are from Provence. They are classic old world wines that are crisp and bone dry. (Rosés had a bad name for a while because of the sweet roses we made in America.)
• Remember that rosé is not just for lunchtime. On our menu right now, I would pair a rosé with nearly every dish. At dinner it pairs particularly beautifully with a light pasta or even duck breast (I’d drink a little fuller rosé with hearty meats).
• Say goodbye to the season with a smooth transition. Rosés drink beautifully all spring and summer, and in the fall we tend to go towards more full-bodied rosés from regions like Bandol, Tavel, and Oregon.

Expert tip from Andy Means of Henri’s Cheese and Wine in Austin, TX.