Pink wine appetizers

Pink wine is more often associated with romance than any other drink. It can be very different: uncomplicated and noncommittal, like a light flirtation, or bright and promising, like a budding great love.

Perhaps that is why there is no unequivocal attitude towards rosé or rosato, as the French and Italians call this wine. Some people love it and some do not consider it a serious drink. But what it does not take away is its unpredictability and intrigue. The only question is how and under what sauce to serve this intrigue. An appetizer for a rosé can be as varied as the wine itself.

Rules for serving rosé

Whatever accompaniment the rosé is served with, hot or cold dishes, it is always drunk chilled to 10-12°C. The shape of the glass also matters. Universal white wine glasses are optimal for rosé. They are smaller than standard “Burgundy” and “Bordeaux” glasses for red wine, which allows you to feel the aroma of a very chilled drink more clearly. And now let’s move on to the gastronomic component.

The choice of appetizers for a rosé wine

While red dry wine is usually recommended to accompany meat dishes and white wine – fish and seafood, rose wine is an excellent accompaniment to both. Here we should stick to a simple principle: young wines with a delicate flavor will go well with more delicate dishes, and mature and bright ones – with complex and rich dishes. The darker the color of the rosé, the more concentrated its flavor and more powerful the appetizer.

When choosing a menu it is easier to orient to national cuisines of the countries that have a well-developed production of rosé wines: France, Italy, Spain. Any Mediterranean dishes of meat, fish, seafood, cheese will suit this drink.

Bruschetta

This dish is based on a slice of bread, browned on a grill or in a pan without oil, smeared with garlic and olive oil. On top of the crouton put an improvised mix of suitable products, choosing the option to your liking. The simplest one is chopped tomatoes with finely chopped garlic and basil, dressed with olive oil. If you want to get a more sophisticated dish, make the ingredients more complex and combine them in different ways, using cheese, olives, shrimp, fish, meat, peppers, fresh herbs. The main secrets of this Mediterranean dish are quality olive oil, preferably virgin olive oil, and the “right” bread – ideally Italian ciabatta.

A bruschetta with fried shrimp, drizzled with lemon juice and sprinkled with fresh herbs is a good accompaniment to the rosé wine. Fish stuffing is also good: canned tuna, tomato-garlic dressing, red onions soaked in lemon juice, grated cheese and olives sliced into rings.

Pasta and pizza

These dishes of Italian cuisine have long accustomed to our table. It’s worth noting that they go best with rosé wine, especially their vegetarian versions. Pasta with pesto sauce under parmesan or pizza with cheese is just right. Parma ham as part of these dishes will also not be superfluous, rather the opposite.

Pink wine with oriental dishes

The decisive accent to Indian, Chinese, and Japanese dishes is given by the sauce. It is the sauce that fills the taste and aroma of the dish with Asian exoticism. A creamy, mild kari or sweet and sour teriyaki sauce with prominent soy flavour combines perfectly with the fresh, fruity flavour of rose wine. Turkey, chicken or lean pork are perfect to accompany a romantic wine.

Cheeses and smoked meats – a universal appetizer for rosé wine

If it’s not easy to find a cheese companion to a red or white wine, almost all kinds of cheeses will suit rosé. Young cheeses, goat and sheep cheeses make a good match for dry wine, and aged cheeses for sweet wine. Cold meats, sausages, and smoked meats are also very suitable as appetizers to a rosé, especially to a more mature and tannic wine.