There is no shortage of beautiful Long Island rosé wines. The quintessentially perfectly pink hot weather wine comes in many different hues, levels of sweetness, both sparkling and still, and from many different locally sourced grapes. Two lively expressions of Long Island rosé are the 2020 Macari Rose and the 2020 Estate Sparkling Rosé from Lieb Cellars.
Let’s start with the still wine from Macari. This rosé is a Malbec and Cabernet Franc blend. It’s a lovely crystal peony pink color, just a shade deeper than salmon. The fruit-forward nose and palate has notes of stone fruit peach, nectarine, apricot, and watermelon.
This stainless steel fermented wine’s clean fresh taste pairs perfectly with summer fruits and salads, light pasta dishes, appetizers, and seafood. It also drinks wonderfully on its own enjoying time spent outside with friends. The wine retails for $24.
Looking to add a few fun bubbles to your rosé? The 2020 Lieb Estate Sparkling Rose is flawless. Don’t be surprised that this wine, though a rosé, looks white. Rosé wines are pink from skin contact during the wine-making process. The longer the skin contact, the deeper the color. Almost all winemaking grapes are actually white inside. That is why a wine made with Pinot Noir, usually a red wine, can still be white.
This particular sparkling wine is produced in the traditional method used to produce champagne. And, like many traditional champagnes, it is created with pinot noir and chardonnay. It has notes of raspberry, peach, spice, and plenty of balanced acidity. It pairs much the same way champagne does, from soup to nuts or appetizer to dessert, and retails for $38.
