Hot take: Rosé euphoria has officially jumped the shark.
For years we’ve been enthralled by the rosé vibe, suggests Tenzing Palden, wine director at Bonyeon, the omakase steak restaurant in Chicago. Rosé became more than just wine, he explains: It was “an atmosphere, an energy” so infectious that wine regions around the world mobilized into churning out oceans of fun, frictionless, and largely interchangeable wines.
After decades of explosive growth, all the hashtags (#roséallday, anyone?), and rosé-fueled pool parties, the frenzy has cooled. In its wake, maybe we’re ready for something different? This is not to say all rosé is passé. But the malaise you may feel about the easy-breezy sameness of so much mass-produced pink signals a big shift. Perhaps toward, as my editor puts it, rosé that gives more than just “flat, flavored seltzer water”? [Ed. note: Can confirm.]
We’ve only scratched the veneer of a category that’s fantastically diverse. Thanks in part to its mainstream success, the market for unique, expressive rosé of all shades and traditions has never been better.
Whether historic expressions of rosé from Spain or France, or the sassy sun-soaked wines of California or New York, there’s a whole world of rosé to explore this summer—still delightfully beach-worthy, but so much more than an afterthought.
Note: Prices vary by retailer and region, and do not reflect a national price.
Illustration by Leurin Estevez
8 Rosés You Should Be Drinking Right Now
Clos Cibonne 2023 Tradition Rosé, Provence, $40
“Everyone thinks of Provence when it comes to rosé,” says Palden, but few appreciate the region’s more savory, historic styles unfazed by the passage of time or trends. Clos Cibonne is one of the region’s most iconic producers of Tibouren, an ancient grape with a seductively smoky, floral perfume. Aged in barrels under a fleurette, or film of yeast, reminiscent of sherry or the Jura, “it’s a savory, almost saline wine,” he says, “with a structure and complexity that stands up to a wide variety of food pairings.”
Apollo’s Praise 2024 Nutt Road Vineyard Dry Rosé of Cabernet Franc, Seneca Lake, $20
“Lighter is better” has been the misguided mantra of a large segment of rosé drinkers, prompting producers to aggressively fine and filter their wines, stripping away color, flavor and texture too. This gorgeously strawberry’d, sunset-hued Cabernet Franc offers an intensity and grip more reminiscent of wines like Tavel from the Southern Rhône or an Italian Cerasuolo d’Abruzzo. Made by Finger Lakes winemakers Kelby James Russell and Julia Rose Hoyle, it’s penetrating yet thirst-quenching, with a finish that murmurs of tannins and fresh herbs.
Domaine des Terres Dorées NV FRV100 de Jean-Paul Brun Vin Mousseux, Vin de France, $24
FRV100 is pronounced “effervescent” (100 is “cent” in French). This cheeky, off-dry sparkler was inspired by the Jura’s Cerdon du Bugey, the lightly sparkling rosé made from Gamay and Poulsard.
