by EmmaLaperruque·June28,2018
We’vebeentaste-testingourwaythroughpantrystaples. Wefoundourfavoritecanned chickpeasand natural peanutbutterand mayonnaise.Nowthatit’ssummer,there’sanotherregularinourkitchens...
Rosé.
Lastsummer,wetoldyouaboutavarietythatwashighlyranked—like,oneofthebestintheworld—inspiteofits $8pricetag. Whichgotusthinking:Whywouldweeverbuyroséformorethan$10? Howmanyofthesehumbleheroesareoutthere?
Wehadtofindout. Sowescouredthecityforcontendersandsampled10under-$10wines. Allweretastedblindly. Heretheyarefromleasttomostfavorite.
OneoftheBest WinesintheWorldIsan$8RosébyMayukhSen
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RoséGimletbyFood52
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ChâteauLaRue' CôtesdeProvence'Rosé,2017
Thisdryish Frenchfelladidn’thaveagreatdayattheoffice. Severalcriticizeditslackoftaste:“Thisispinkwater,”oneaccused. (Itis,indeed,rosé.) “Tasteless,”saidanother.” Meanwhile,severaltastetesterspickeduponanoddpattern:“Likegasolineor motoroil,”saidanother. “Smellslikeacartire,”saidanotherstill. Hm! Forwhatit’sworth,onepersonwasallaboutthis:“Ilike. Ilove. Myfavorite.”
FamigliaCarafoliLambruscodiSorbaraRosé
OurtasterswerereallyonthesamepagewiththisBarbie-pink,bubblyvariety,madein Emilia-Romagna, Italy. Twolikenedittoa“ JollyRancher.” Severalnoteditsberriness. Andseveralcriticizeditssweetness. Thesmellwaslessunanimous. Oneputitsimply:“Fruityashell.” Anothergotmorespecific:“Smellsliketequila.”
Sirio'CerasuoloD'Abruzzo'Rosé,2017
“Color’spretty. Taste,notsomuch”sumsupourfeelingsaboutthis Italianrosé. Almosteverytastetesteroohedandaahedaboutitshue:“Prettycolor,”“Darkerruby,”“Rubycolor!” “Veryprettycolor,”“Lovetheredhue!” “Brightcolor,likeajewel,”tonameafew. Butperhapslooksarenoteverything. Itsflavorwasdescribedas:“Abitmetallic,”“Dragonfruit VitaminWater,”and“almostlikeitwascutwithwater.” Onepersonwrote“FLIRTY”inallcapitals.
Rosé ChickenPicattawith Pink PeppercornsbyGrantMelton
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RoséCan Chicken,We'veBeenWaitingforYoubyGrantMelton
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TrestoriaRosé,2017
Forsomeofourtesters,thisCalifornia-bredwinefeltalittle“watery,”orlike“pinkwaterwiththetiniestsqueezeoflemon,”saidanother. Otherspickeduponthatcitrusyflavor,describinga“nicesourness.” Overall,though,peoplefeltalittle blah:“Boring”and“Maybethisdoesn’thaveflavor.” Onepersonwasmorepreoccupiedwiththearoma:“SmellsliketheGlossiershowroom.” Isthat,uh,agoodthing?
Castelld’Or'Cossetània'RoséCava
Madeinasimilarwaytochampagne,thispeppy,Cosmopolitan-coloredvarietycomesfromPenedès, Spain. Severalthoughtitwasatouchsweet. Onecompareditsflavorto“strawberryorraspberry.” Another,to“plumskin.” Andanother,to“caramel.” Severalalsofocusedonitsbubbliness. “Bubbles!” saidone. “Bubbles! !” saidanother. Onetastetesterputthismoreeloquently:“Supereffervescent. Almostadistraction.” Similarly,“Notafanofthefizziness.” Still,thereweresomefans. Onedescribedthesmellasanillustrationofaheart-eyesemoji. Andonenotedthatitwouldbegreatpairedwith“friesandpizzaandanythinggreasy.”
OlivaresBodegasRosado,2017
Ablendof Monastrelland Grenache,Olivares tiedwithCossetania,sotheysharethe,er,5thplacepodium. Congrats,guys. Manyagreedthatthiswasdecidedly notsweet:“Dry. Toodry? Somethingsaltyandbriny,”wroteone. Otherssaid:“sour,”“tart,”“puckery,”and“veryacidic.” Atthesametime,twopeoplenotedits“butteryflavor.” Thisinspiredseveralpost-workaspirations:“Makesmewanttogoonapicnic,”wroteonetastetester. Twocuriouslywantednoodles:“Givemesomeslurpyspaghetti”and“Givemesomebutterypasta.” Anothertwoweretakenwithitssmell:“Alotofnose,”saidone. “Isthiswhatanoseis?” askedanother.
TheColorfulHistoryofRosébyVictoriaJames
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TheRosésYouMayNotBeDrinkingJustYet(ButShouldBe)byLeslieStephens
LaVielleFerme'Récolte'Rosé,2017
Thispalerosé,createdin Franceduring 'thedriestyearin30years,'wasallovertheplace. Butlet’sstartwiththegoodnews. Severaladmireditsaroma:“Nicenose”and“Goodsmell.” Otherscouldseeitfittingintotheirlives:“Thiswouldbeagoodcompaniontoa Bacheloretteepisode”and“Thistasteslike‘goodwine. ’I‘like’it.” Meanwhile,severalfounditstastebland. Thereweretwocomparisonstowater(“pinkwater”and“tartwater”)andonecomparisonto Nyquil:“Seriously,isthismedicine?”
Romagnoli'Flusia'Rosé,2016
Peachyandalmostorangeinhue,this Italianwinealsohadsomebigfansandbigenemies. Itsfollowersnotedthattheycoulddrink“alot”ofthis. Itsflavorrangedfrom“mildinalovelyway”to“floral,grassy,fruity.” Itssmellwasdescribedas“stone-fruity.” Thatsaid,somepickedupamineralinesstheydidn’tappreciate:“EarthyinawayIdon’twant.” Then,therewereafewtastetesterswhoweredownrightmad:“Thisisgross,”wroteone.” “NO,”wroteanother,thenunderlinedtheall-cappedword.
EscudoRealRosé,2017
This vinhoverdevarietycomesbywayof Portugal. Its“fizzy,tart,sweet”flavorearnedmanyadmirerers. Severallikedits“light”flavor. Thismadeit“easytodrink,”ideally“inthepark.” Acoupledescribeditas“crisp”and“refreshing.” Onesimplydrewa smileyface. Anotherremarkedthatit“wouldgowellwithclampizza,”thoughnooneelsepickeduponthis.
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DomaineValJulius'Initial'Rosé,2017
Winner,winner! Hailingfromthe southofFrance,whereit'smadeonasmallfamilyestate,thisroséreceivedlotsofpraise. Manycomplimentedits“mild”and“pleasantflavor.” Acouplecalledit“floral.” Several,“tart”(“whichIliked!” oneadded). Othersnoteditsbalancedflavors:“Nicelybetweenacidicandsweet”and“nottoosweetorbad.” Acoupletastetesterssawthemselves intherosé:“Mildlyfloral,light,lowacid. Fora‘basic’girllikemyself”and“Maybenottoocomplex. Butmaybethatmatchesmypersonality.” I’dliketothinkwecanallseeourselvesinValjulius,becausewe’reallwinners.
What’syourgo-tocost-effectiverosé? Tellusaboutitinthecomments!
