What’s the ROI on Rosé?

I’m feeling pretty good about it being May and already we are seeing the new crop of rosé wines rolling into the market. But with that joy there is always a little trepidation. You see, rosé is kind of like an in-law. You love to see them when they first arrive, but after awhile you are trying to figure out ways to skooch them out the door.

Hey, for my part I am welcoming as many of them under my columns as will fit. This year already I have sipped rosé in the springtime sun while watching a wicked cricket match in Bordeaux. I’ve had an old-fashioned Tuscan al fresco lunch with Jacopo's Maremma rosato I am crazy about. I’ve sipped another rosé that I love, but will probably never see in my market, at Chateau Haut-Bailly. Last week Bobby Stuckey and his gang from Frasca brought their Scarpetta rosé bubbles for us to enjoy with Chef Lachlan’s charcuterie. Have I missed anything? Oh yes, another Tuscan rosato from Giulio’s La Badiola with a fabulous pizza. And I’m not sure if it qualifies to some of you out there, but it definitely does to me – sipped one of my favorite Italian wines in the world, Vecchia Modena Lambrusco di Sobara at the Cleto Chiarli winery near Modena.

I’ve done my part. And then some. And thanks to rosé wines, I’m having an incredible year. Well, actually I’m having in incredible year so far because I really can’t believe all the things that have been thrown at me. The truth is, I’m a little tired of 2012 for so many reasons (work ain’t one of them). This has just been one of those years, like 1992 was to me and Queen Elizabeth, who dubbed it the “annus horribilis.” I concur.

So I’m time traveling back to 2011, to sample and enjoy all the rosey-hued wines I can. Here in Texas we’re already hitting 90+ °F, and it’s only May.

One sidebar to the rosé “shelf-life” fallacy. Marketers try and force all the rosé wines into the pipeline as early as possible so the shops can be finished with the wines in late July. With global warming, July is about mid-stride for the heat onslaught in these parts. We still have three more months to go. But that’s beside the point. We drink white wine all year ‘round. Likewise with red wine. So why does rosé only get 15 minutes of fame every year? That’s dumb. I reject that ridiculous assertion. Sometimes rosé wine is the only thing on a wine list that makes sense. Even in January.

So dear readers, and even dearer marketers and servers in the trade, increase your ROI on personal pleasure by investing more time plying it into the hands of your friends, family and loved ones. I guarantee it can turn even an “annus horribilis into an “annus mirabilis.”

Or at least that is my hope for what’s left of 2012.

written and photographed by Alfonso Cevola limited rights reserved On the Wine Trail in Italy