Stop drinking cheap rosé.
I’ve long held a grudge against rosé for being sweet and beige.
September’s drawing to an end, and Autumn is in full swing. It’s time to move away from the overrated rosé zinfandels (or to be honest, don’t even buy them to begin with – if you have to grab a rosé for a friend’s birthday or the like, I’d try Sainsbury’s Grenache Rosé, which perfectly balances it’s dry acidity with red berry notes) and embrace red Zinfandel – a comforting, cosy blanket of a wine that’s suited to flat dinners, hearty rich dishes and good company.
Zinfandel isn’t the most common bottle to find in a small supermarket, but I’ve found that the Newington and Bruntsfield Tesco’s have a relatively good selection.
As a grape variety, it’s often found in cheap rosé bottles but, by keeping the grape skins in during the fermentation process, instead of taking them out early, they can also be used to produce red wines (the more you know, hey).
I was chatting to some friends in third year about their wine consumption (I am nothing if not a comprehensive reviewer), and they were keen to move away from drinking the cheapest whites at pre drinks and embrace more sophisticated, adventurous wines in a more “grown up” setting. For this, I think a Zinfandel is a perfect. Suited for smoky meets and pizzas, it’s a great option for elevating a flat dinner. My favourite, accessible Zinfandel at the moment is the 2020 Carnivor Zinfandel, which offers notes of caramel, tobacco and liquorice. Fresh, fun and best served in good company.
Photo by Christine Isakzhanova on Unsplash.