(StatePoint) Whether you’re enjoying a sun-drenched brunch with family or hosting an elaborate dinner party for friends, you’ll need a go-to wine for such festive gatherings, and a chilled rosé is a refreshing choice in the summer months.
Enjoyable on its own, you can elevate the experience by picking a delicious, affordable bottle and preparing food pairings to match.
To help you host, Sommelier Chantelle Pabros recommends the floral and fruity Louis Jadot Rosé 2017 ($13.99), -- from the number one French wine in America -- for its fresh red currant and raspberry fruit character. Serve it chilled alongside the following dishes:
• Baked French Toast Casserole: Made with baguettes, brown sugar, peaches, nectarines, apricots and blackberries and topped with fresh basil, this is a brunch classic in which the aromatics of the baked French toast go head to head with the aromatics of the rosé. The sweet baked stone fruit aromas and fragrant fresh basil intertwine easily with the fruity nose of the rosé, and because the casserole is so dense -- filled with sweet bready baked pain perdu -- it needs a refreshing acidity and freshness that the rosé delivers.
• Grilled Asparagus and Peaches: Season with salt, black Tellicherry pepper, chili flakes and lemon. Next, break open a few pieces of burrata.
• Tomato Bacon Focaccia: Soft, spongey and airy, brush the focaccia with extra virgin olive oil, then top with Maldon salt. Use the ripest tomatoes available, baked with crispy bacon. The acidity of the ripe luscious local tomatoes is an effortless pairing with rosé. The dryness of the wine breaks through the savory, fatty, and salty bacon and cleans the palate.
• Chocolate and Peanut Butter Ice Cream Sandwiches: Keep the wine flowing all the way through dessert. The bright acidity of the wine cuts through the creamy vanilla ice cream and the richness of the soft chewy peanut butter cookies. Like bitters in a craft cocktail, the chocolate coating ties it all together, playing off of the wild strawberry notes. The texture of the wine has a mousse-like creaminess and a vibrant all-encompassing finish that will leave you wanting more.
In the mood for something else? Consider the crisp, fruit-forward Jadot Beaujolais-Villages (SRP: $13.99) alongside light red meats and grilled or roasted white meats, or enjoy the floral, apple and citrus aromas of Macon-Villages (SRP: $14.99) with poultry, shellfish, grilled swordfish and salads.
With a go-to wine and thoughtful food pairings, you can turn every gathering this summer into a reason to celebrate.
