How to Drink Pink for National Rosé Day This Weekend

Saturday June 10 is National Rosé Day, and we’re tickled pink. The weather is perfect for al-fresco sipping and eating, and although we’re big advocates for year-round rosé consumption, early summer demands something pink in the glass. We don’t want to limit you to wine, so we’ve come up with three rosy options for you to explore on this thinly veiled excuse to Drink Pink.

Wolffer Dry Rosé Cider “No. 139”
($15 four-pack bottles or cans, Legends)

New York’s apple orchards are famed for their eating and baking apples but are also notable for the number of cider varieties they grow. Not surprisingly, NY cider output has grown too, and Wolffer Estate is among the best producers in the area. No. 139 draws from both eating and juicing varieties to craft a cider with fruity sweetness as well as a dry finish. The color comes from a dash of organic extract (of what, they don’t say), so the flavors here are still purely apple. Nonetheless, we love this playful pink spin on an American cider, which plays well with a range of picnic and patio foods.

Hugl Zweigelt Rosé 2022
($18 1 liter bottle, Kysela Pere et Fils)

Austria has always been great at producing fleshy, racy white wines, but it’s only in the last century that climate change has warmed things up enough to deliver reliably ripe red wine grapes. Austrian red wine production exploded in that time, and along with it, rosé. Zweigelt is a hybrid grape with characteristics similar to Pinot Noir; it’s light, juicy, and acidic. The rosé made from it is similar, with a pleasing fleshy characteristic and a refreshing, zingy finish. An ideal patio wine, it also pairs well with grilled or fried seafood, pizza, and even crabs.

Mirabeau Dry Gin “Riviera”
($37, Winebow)

Southern France is a romantic and picturesque region famous for its rugged beauty, Mediterranean climate, herbs, and wine. Mirabeau produces an ocean of rosé from Provence. It’s perfectly fine, but what piqued our curiosity was their newly launched gin. It’s a classic flavor profile led by juniper berry but comple- mented by traditional herbs and aromatics of Southern France and, interestingly, a healthy dollop of rosé in the distillation process. The result is a classic dry gin that’s not quite London-style but retains a formal continental elegance. We dig the color too—it makes for a rosy riff on any classic gin cocktail.