Red, White and Green

Red, white, and green may be the colors of the national flags of Italy, Iran, Bulgaria, Hungary, Mexico and of Wales.

But “Red, White & Green” became the wine mantra I evolved to complement the food stories, which POF writers were asked to post for the June theme of “Green.” As in Green food. As in farm fresh, snappy vegetables, as in  pesto, and the like.

Nothing complements these green foods better than a crisp, properly chilled, white wine, or a trending-toward-red, peppery rose. I’m mostly thinking Spanish, or southern French, here, when I think rose – not the higher alcohol, possibly higher extracted, potentially sweeter roses of the new world (Australia, or the US).

And just to be clear, I am NOT suggesting that readers head out to find roses from Italy, Iran, Bulgaria, Hungary, Mexico, or Wales. These countries may have striking flags, but with the exception of Italy, they are not bastions of winemaking prowess.

Let’s start with exlusions

White wines that go well with summery garden dishes would exclude Chardonnay, or white Burgundies in my world.

Let these be the workhorse white wines for dishes of greater depth – oysters, shellfish, or appetizer pates.

For this assignment, of what to pair with Green foods, I am thinking of these whites: Pinot Gris, Viognier, Sauvignon Blanc, Riesling, or Prosecco (no one ever said the white wine had to be a still wine – why not serve a buzzy Prosecco with your summer greens?).

Over the past few summers, I have experimented with the roses of France, Spain and Greece, finding flavor and value in each of these regions.

I cannot be more specific here, listing labels that I recommend. For the most part, roses, which I find in my neighborhood wine shop are not likely ones, which you will find in your wine shop.

The big reds, the big whites – they get national distribution. I find, on the contrary, that roses are so seasonally short lived that wine merchants tend to pick a few labels, which they personally like, and what is on the shelf in one part of the nation is not necessarily available on the shelf at the other end of the continent. Roses are not distributed, I find, with the same disciplines we have come to expect from national brand reds and whites.

Serving your white and rose wines

Hey! You’re serving wine, not a carbonated soft-drink. Most folks, I find, serve their chilled wines TOO chilled. Which kills the flavor, intensity and length of the beverage.

If you have kept your bottle in the fridge for more than four hours, remove it from the fridge a 15 minutes before serving.

A “chilled” wine should really be a few degrees cooler than wine cellar temperature, enabling guests to enjoy the wine’s distinct personality. “Artic cold” is not the personality of a well made southern French rose. “Rose petal nose and peppery scents” are.