The Toughest Rosé In Town

Forget pale pink and salmon hues€”Summerhill’s version can stand up to a steak without breaking a sweat.

Summerhill Syrah Malbec Rosé 2017 $26The classical image of drinking rosé is planted on some sort of rustic flagstone patio in the South of France, maybe overlooking some lavender field or maybe the cap d’Antibes. I love that image and I probably love that grenache or maybe cinsault or mouvedre-based rosés. But just like I sometimes prefer Chardonnay to Riesling, sometimes I prefer of rosé with a bit more heft.Summerhill’s Syrah Malbec rosé has heft.Syrah is not that uncommon to make rosé and Malbec, though not traditional, is used in Argentina frequently but the combo here and what I imagine is a nice long soak on the skins imparts a deep, rich pink that could be mistaken for a light Gamay at first glance. But unlike the similarly dark White Zin, this isn’t just a sugar bomb. It’s a richer style to be sure, and has more residual sugar than most French rosés, but there’s enough acidity to keep the wine in balance and the fruit is far less restrained than your usual offering from Provence. That adds up to a rosé that could stand up to burger or even a grilled streak with much more assertiveness than most rosés. (Summerhill also makes an Alive rosé that’s made from Pinot and is also delicious, but much more classically lighter).And the view from Summerhill is no slouch either.