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For those who love Roses -- or I should say, for those who THINK that roses are flabby, sweet, silly, thin, and uninteresting -- San Francisco's periodic "Pink Out!" rose tastings are an absolute must.
Sponsored by the trade group RAP (Rose Avengers and Producers, modeled on the Zinfandel promoting group ZAP), Pink Out events, offering hundreds of Roses from hundreds of US and French vintners, will startle and amaze you with the incredible variety of tastes (and colors!) of Roses. If you think you don't like Roses--you have to be wrong, because there are so many types, there is something for each of us.
You can find out about RAP Pink Out events at http://www.rapwine.com/ -- the next one (as of this posting) is May 13, 2008 at 6:30pm at the Butterfly Restaurant on SF's Embarcadero. Tickets are $35 in advance (it usually sells out). The event's description is "features an extensive walk-around tasting of 45 classic still and sparkling rosés from throughout the world, accompanied by tasty appetizers." So it's more modest in scope, which is a relief--I mean, 45 tastes? I'll be crawling!
Bear this important fact in mind: Roses can be made from any red-skinned grape. That means Roses can vary in basic taste components more than any other kind of wine. You can make Rose from Pinot Noir (the standard French style of dry Rose), or Syrah or Petit Syrah or Zinfandel or Cabernet or Merlot or Shiraz or Grenache or any red Italian or Spanish or Argentinian or South African red-skinned grape!
In addition, since nobody in the U.S. *buys* Roses (because of the bad memory of White Zinfandel), vintners make Rose as a labor of love (because they sure can't sell much of it!). This means that you are getting in each taste that winemaker's own personal interpretation of how he or she wants a Rose to taste. Let me tell you, the variety is beyond belief!
You owe it to yourself to spread your wings and try as many Roses as you can. There will be many you won't like--but believe me, there will be many you like a lot!
One more incentive to Get roses: It is still a secret! Most people don't know how good Rose can taste. Most people still think it means White Zin. Most people are Behind the Curve. You--yes you there!--can get ahead of the curve (for once in your life, thank goodness!) by finding Roses you actually enjoy drinking -- then have the wonderful experience of looking down your nose on the pathetic plebes who Still Just Don't Get Rose! Yes--you, too, can be a Rose snob! And when they say they don't like Rose, you can roll your eyes and say in a longsuffering way, "Oh my dear, you're talking about *white zin* -- Puh-leese!"
It's fun!
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