It’s no secret that I adore rosé. While excellent to drink all year-round, it’s my absolute FAVE in the summertime! Since it’s meant to be served chilled, in my opinion, there’s nothing better or more refreshing to have while sitting on a patio (or a beach) in the summer than a delicious glass of rosé. This year, the LCBO actually introduced more than 17 new rosés in its stores. These are great additions to its already impressive and ever-growing rosé collection (trust me, I know – I’m what you’d call a ‘loyal customer’ 😉)!
LCBO’s Rosé Cabana Lounge & Rosé Wine School
A few weeks ago, my husband and I had the pleasure of attending the Wine & Spirit Festival at Sugar Beach. Taking place on June 14 & 15, the Wine & Spirit Festival is a two-day event showcasing wine, beer, cider & spirit producers as well as chefs and culinary personalities. It’s always such a fun event, and an excellent opportunity to conduct a bit of ‘research’ on what wines will be my summer go-tos. While there, we checked out the LCBO’s Rosé Cabana Lounge and Rosé Wine School. The Rosé Cabana Lounge is an interactive pop-up that is not only comfy, but is also the place to sample and learn about rosés (in a super approachable atmosphere).
The Rosé Wine School was another neat feature offered by the LCBO at the Wine & Spirit Festival. Over the course of the 2 days, there were 9 different classes – all free for festival attendees. Led by LCBO product experts, the classes featured trending rosés, showcased the versatility of rosé, and included food pairing demonstrations. Over time, there’ve been some common misconceptions floating around about rosé. So, the Rosé Wine School was a good opportunity to get more familiar and debunk some of those misconceptions. Alex and I definitely learned a thing or two!
Personally, I’m thrilled about the resurgence in popularity of rosé. Rosé was once considered a bit less fashionable to drink – likely due to it being confused with poorly-made blush wines and white zinfandels. In actuality, lots of rosés are of excellent quality and produced in some of the best wine growing regions in the world. And what’s not to love? It’s versatile, aromatic, refreshing, pairs well with food or can be enjoyed on its own. The best part? You can find lots of varieties at the LCBO for under $15!
So, since I love rosé so much and want you to enjoy it this summer too, I’ve rounded up my summer rosé picks at the LCBO for under $15 (you can thank me later!).
Summer Rosé Picks at the LCBO For Under $15
- La Vieille Ferme Rosé ($12.50) – with only 2 g/L sugar, this is a great bone-dry rosé produced in Rhône, France
- L’Orangeraie Rosé Pays D’OC ($12.00) – another dry (6 g/L) rosé produced in the south of France
- JP Azeitão Shiraz Rosé Bacalhoa ($8.95) – such a steal with its excellent price point; produced in Portugal
- Pondview Cabernet Franc Rosé ($12.75) – a homegrown VQA wine produced in Niagara with only 4 g/L of sugar
- JP Chenet Sparkling Ice Edition Rosé ($13.95) – for those looking for a little bubbly
- Lab Rosé Lisboa ($9.75) – another steal of a deal coming out of Portugal
- Terres De Saint Louis Rosé Varois En Provence AOC ($13.40) – light and refreshing, produced in Provence with only 4 g/L sugar
- Jacob’s Creek Moscato Rosé ($13.50) – for those seeking a sweet rosé, this is pretty classic
- Girl’s Night Out Rosé ($13.95) – another homegrown VQA Ontario wine that is a popular choice for the ladies
- Bottega Pinot Grigio Rosé ($14.95) – super drinkable dry rosé produced in Italy
- Château Bellevue La Forêt Rosé ($14.95) – medium-bodied, dry rosé produced in France
As you can probably tell from my summer rosé picks, I like my rosé to be dry, light, and the perfect blush/salmon colour. Most of the picks on my list fit my ideal rosé flavour/colour profile, but I’ve also thrown a couple sweeter options into the mix. You can see the LCBO’s full collection of rosés here.
Fun Facts About Rosé
And in case you’re a nerd about these things, like I am, here are some fun facts about rosé that may surprise you:
- Rosé was actually created before white wine and red wine. Yes, it’s true! The first one dates back to 7000 B.C. Centuries ago, the Greeks founded a colony in Marseille introduced the first vines to Provence.
- Many people assume that a very blush colour means the rosé is dry and a darker hue means it’s sweet. While this can be true for the most part, there are many rosés that are blush and sweet and darker in colour that are dry.
- It is not a mix of red wine and white wine; it’s actually made from red grapes. Rosé gets its colour from the skin being left in contact with the crushed grape. The longer it sits, the darker it will be. The skin is usually removed between 2 to 20 hours later.
- Rosé is not meant to be aged; it’s best consumed within 2-3 years of purchase – so bottoms up!
- France produces about 28% of the world’s rosé. Most production is in Provence, but there are also smaller operations in the Loire Valley and the Rhône region
How many rosés on the list do you plan to check out this summer? Cheers to rosé!
*This post was done in partnership with the LCBO. But as always, all opinions and thoughts are 100% my own.
