This might be our new favorite holiday …
The second Saturday of June is National Rosé Day — yes, you read that right. There is an actual day dedicated to drinking rosé! It was started by a Swedish wine company Bodvár the House of Rosé to simply pay tribute to their wine specialty. Thankfully, it’s caught on around the USA. Check out bars and wineries near you, along with your city’s local events calendar for any deals related to this wine-drinking holiday.
If you can’t find anything in your town, seize the day (and the rosé) by throwing your own National Rosé Day celebration! It’s easy. All you need is a group of people that appreciate a glass of this refreshing wine and some food to help soak up the booze. Sip poolside or make an outdoor picnic. Break out a box of wine at a campsite or celebrate with your favorite cans for the most portable and most delicious rosé drinking option.
And that special phrase “Rosé All Day” … yeah, do that. That’s our plan anyway. And here’s how we’re going to celebrate.
THROW A ROSÉ TASTING PARTY
National Rosé Day calls for drinking the best summer wine around. If formal tastings are your style, a rosé tasting party with friends is the perfect way to celebrate. Request that everyone bring their favorite bottle, box, or cans of rosé and set it all in an ice-filled beverage tub so the wine stays cold. Place glassware on the table (plastic works just fine) and avoid any location with super strong smells. Outside is preferred (because rosé is a patio wine, of course!) but inside works too. Just don’t cook anything super fragrant and hold off on lighting a scented table so it doesn’t interrupt with the tasting experience. Other than that, your tasting party can be however formal or informal you want it to be!
TRY A NEW ROSÉ
A wine tasting party is the perfect way to try a new wine on National Rosé Day, but if your crew has plans or you want to spend this special occasion solo, give yourself the gift of trying a new type of wine. There are hundreds of delicious and inexpensive rosés out there, from lighter styles to deeper magenta pinks made with Malbec grapes. Check the alcohol content to anticipate how “heavy” the wine will taste. Lighter rosés will be closer to 11% ABV, but some can go higher than 13% ABV.
TAKE YOUR ROSÉ ANYWHERE
For on-the-go activities like hiking, biking, and patio time at a friend’s house, a canned rosé is preferred. Avoid carting around a heavy (and breakable) glass bottle, and buy a box only when you’re planning on sitting in one place for the weekend. Otherwise, cans are the way to go. They fit conveniently in a cooler and can even shimmy into skinny koozies made originally for hard seltzers and canned cocktails. Make sure you’re abiding by local liquor laws when you take your wine on-the-go. A good way to ruin National Rosé Day is by getting in trouble for an open container in a place that doesn’t allow you to do it.
PAIR APPS, MAINS, AND DESSERTS WITH ROSÉ
Rosé is a versatile wine and summer is the season where it really shines. Fresh vegetable and fruit dishes, Mediterranean fare, grilled pork and chicken, and light seafood all pair well with this blush-colored wine. A dry rosé with a medium body will pair nicely with chocolate and desserts featuring berries. So break out your favorite rosé and make the perfect spread for National Rosé Day!
Best Rosé Appetizer Pairings
For the ultimate pairing that covers all your appetizer bases, a big charcuterie board works the best. Plus, it feeds a crowd if you have a lot of company on National Rosé Day! For a substantial charcuterie board, build the base with cured meats, creamy cheeses and crispy crackers. Since it’s summer and rosé is best alongside fruit and vegetables, remember to feature lighter fillers between the hearty items. Bunches of grapes, Marcona almonds, snap peas and cherry tomatoes add a crunch and a freshness to the board. Finally, balance out the heavy and the light with mouthwatering olives and cornichon pickles. Specialty mustards, jams, and honeys are a welcome addition as well. Then, let guests build their own plate with their perfect combinations.
Best Rosé Main Dish Pairings
Dinner and rosé is a match made for summer. Adding this pink wine to the table is an instant mood-booster, plus it accompanies almost any fresh and flavorful seasonal dish. Throw some chicken on the grill, make vegetable kebabs, or whip-up an easy Greek salad on a hot day. Rosé also pairs well with easy party foods like pizza and burgers, making it a great wine for any occasion. So on National Rosé Day, crank up the grill, and pour a glass of cold rosé wine to celebrate. All side dishes are a safe bet for this versatile vino — corn on the cob, coleslaw, and chips are a welcome addition to the picnic table.
Best Rosé Dessert Pairings
Is dessert totally necessary for National Rosé Day? Absolutely not, but a quick and easy dessert or store-bought indulgence will take the meal to a whole new level. After all, a fresh fruit salad with vanilla and brown sugar is all you need to satisfy a sweet tooth. But if you want to get really decadent, consider a chocolate lava cake, fudgy brownies, and a slice of cheesecake. Anything chocolatey or fruity will likely work with your glass of rosé wine on National Rosé Day.
SERVE ROSÉ THE RIGHT WAY
Disclaimer: There’s no wrong way to serve rosé … but chilled is preferred. Store rosé in the fridge so it’s nice and cold whenever you’re ready to enjoy it. If you just got back from the store and need to add a couple of ice cubes while the rest of the wine chills in the fridge, no big deal. As long as it’s somewhat cold, the wine will taste refreshing. But should you decant your rosé on National Rosé Day? Not necessarily. White and rosé wines don’t typically need to breathe in advance of summertime sipping, but if you open the wine and it doesn’t have a strong aroma, or has a faint “mineral” scent, you might want to let it open up for fifteen minutes or so. This should help bring out any fruit or floral aromas, which will benefit the overall wine drinking experience.
MAKE YOUR OWN FROSÉ
If it’s extra hot and your Saturday is feeling extra festive, make a frosé for National Rosé Day! Frosé is frozen rosé wine, in slushy form. It’s a little bit sweet and a great excuse to invite over a good group of friends. Make this refreshing and easy Graham + Fisk Frosé recipe, and bring it to wherever the party is. Your family and friends will be stoked to try this delicious wine slushy.
WEAR PINK
Don’t forget about the easiest way to represent your favorite wine! Wear the color pink. Add an accessory like this hat or a pair of party socks if you’re spending the day at a June wedding. Add some cocktail napkins to your cart, get pink balloons and flowers at the grocery store, and go all-out with pink for this wine-fueled holiday. Any pictures you take during the day will look better if everyone is repping the pink-hued wine. Rosé sunglasses, rosé wine bottle earrings, and rosé wine confetti are just some of the ways you can deck out your pink outfit and your home.
But don’t worry — even if you don’t do any of that, you’ll still be celebrating in style with a glass of rosé in hand. Remember to enjoy your rosé responsibly, and mark your calendar every year for that second Saturday in June. Happy National Rosé Day from all of us at Graham + Fisk!
