Pretty in Pink: 5 Rosé Wines to Rock Your Summer

Whether it's still or sparkling, imbibed from a beautiful stem wine glass or out of a party cup, or used as a delicious base for the ultimate sangria, ros� is the way to go for summer libations.

Some may think that ros� is clich� – what you drink when your creative cocktail juices have stopped flowing. We say nay. Ros� is like your favorite T-shirt or Sam Smith song. It's the kind of thing you just want to curl up with on a lazy afternoon.

But not all ros�s are created equal. The wine receives its color not from the grape's flesh, but its skin. It's all about contact, and the more the crushed grapes soak, the more saturation seeps into the juice from the maceration process. Different varietals yield different shades and impact the final flavor profile.

Here is our shortlist for the best ros� wines to drink for summer 2020:

Minuty Prestige Ros�, 2019
Kissed by the sun, this faintly peach-toned ros� is both elegant and accessible. It's the kind of wine you'll want to savor excessively. Hand-harvested syrah, cinsault and tibouren varietals from Saint-Tropez and Cheauteu Verez comprise the blend. The Provencal region delivers a wine that's delicate, floral and beautifully balanced with hints of melon and minerality. This wine drinks dry, which is a good thing. Enjoy with simply grilled fish, fresh vegetables or a good book. $30

Provenance Malbec Ros�, 2018
If you're seeking a ros� that refuses to fade into the background, look no further than this recent release from Provenance Vineyards. Malbec grapes sourced from Calistoga in Napa Valley's northern region provide the backbone for a wine that reads straightforward in the bottle but packs a punch when poured. The juice, cold-soaked with the skin for six hours, is then pressed and racked to concrete vessels for a 20-day fermentation. It's during this time that the malbec's character comes through, yielding a ros� with stone fruit on the nose that yields to punchy, overripe berries and a tannic structure that can hold up to a steak on the grill (or a second bottle). $34

Etude Ranch Grance Benoist Ranch Ros� of Pinot Noir, 2018
As elegant as its scripted black and gold label, Etude's just-released ros� captures the essence of northern California winemaking in a bottle. Etude has focused on the pinot noir varietal for more than 30 years, and it shows in this delicately balanced ros�, featuring hand-picked grapes, which are then whole-cluster-pressed before being transferred to older French barrels. The aging process produces a wine rich with berry and apple notes, and just a hint of warm cinnamon, which can carry the wine into the autumn or pair with heartier herbs such as sage and rosemary. $34

The Clambake Limited Edition Ros�, 2017
Real Life Wines' founder and vintner Mary McAuley found inspiration for her label after being tasked to source wines for a clambake with friends. When she realized there were few choices for high-quality but affordable, she set out to make her own. Nearly ten years later, McAuley's focused collection includes a limited-edition ros� and an unoaked chardonnay. Carignan grapes sourced from Mendocino, California, give the wine a backbone that holds up to its name, perfect for a summer seafood boil. $19

Tussock Jumper Moscato Ros�, NV
You'll sparkle with a glass of Tussock Jumper in your hand. The slightly effervescent (known as "frizzante" in the biz) wine's deep blush comes from 100 percent Moscato grapes sourced from Valencia, Spain. The growing region's limestone soil, combined with the winemaker's fine touch, yields a slightly sweet, juicy wine with notes of freshly sliced strawberries and a tickle on the nose. Made in Valencia, Spain, this wine is a heavenly treat on its own or pairs perfectly with soft cheeses like brie, jams, as well as fruit desserts. The wine pairs well with delicate cheeses like brie, but can also cut through the funk of aged goat cheese or camembert. $13