ROSE' WINES: EUROPE

Bodegas Borsao Rosado
Spain: Aragon: Campo de Borja
100% Garnacha (rosé)
2009
88+ pts
$8.99
This is my Wine of the Summer, 2011! My criteria? Refreshing, easy-drinking, decent acidity (for pairing with all kinds of snacks and appetizers), light but not too light, no heat (that is, no over-the-top alcohol in the mouth), and, finally, a discount price that enables one to keep plenty on hand to enjoy and share right through September. While the Monte Palma Verdejo played this role for me in 2010--and I'm still crazy for Austrian Grüner Veltliner, too--the notion of enjoying some red fruit through June, July and August appeals to me. Dana and I tried the Borsao Rosado at Cafe-Ba-Ba-Reeba this afternoon, and I knew after one sip I was set for the summer sun. This is by no means a complex, multifaceted wine destined to rack up big awards for its unique approach or flawless execution. But it does meet my criteria for Wine of the Summer. The nose offers watermelon candy with hints of fresh orange zest (Dana nailed the oranges!). Research indicates there are strawberries on the nose, too, but neither of us picked them up. The taste profile includes lots of fresh melon (watermelon, yes, but other summer melons, too), along with with some floral notes (violets?) and minerality on the finish. And the length is very good. Borsao continues to impress me as a solid, affordable Spanish producer, and with this medium-bodied tasty wine available for nine bucks a bottle at Binny's, I'm ready for summer in Chicago: a MUST TRY!