Valentine’s Day is right around the corner, and all over the world florists are in full-on hustle mode trying to fulfill the quadrillion orders for floral arrangements that are being placed ’round the clock. This holds especially requests for the quintessential bouquets of pink and red roses, color that quintessentially say “Valentine’s.

You know what I think, though? I say who needs a dozen roses when you can have rosés instead?

For the record I actually, truly do love flowers (I’m a tulip and ranunculus kind of girl in case anyone wants to send a bunch this way). It’s just that sometimes a lady needs a bottle instead of a bloom, and what wine is better suited to Valentine’s Day than the beautifully hued, and aptly named, rosé?

Why rosés, you ask? Well there are a ton of reasons rosés should be one of your favorite wines to sip: (1) first of all, rosés are both super easy to pair with food as well as sip alone. This makes it a versatile choice for entertaining whether it’s for a crowd; for a romantic tête-à-tête; or for sipping solo (2) for the most part it’s a relatively inexpensive wine varietal with many bottles coming in at $25 and under (with the exception of the champagnes, of course); and (3) it comes in such an array of beautiful hues! From light salmon to deep strawberry jam, the dazzling color display in a glass of rosé is enchanting and adds to the pleasure of drinking it.

HOW TO PICK YOUR OWN BUNCH OF ROSÉS

Convinced rosés are the way to go yet? Perfect. Now let’s go over a few tidbits of info that can help guide you when you’re looking to pick up a bottle or two:

• The darker the rosé is, the more it takes on the characteristic of red wine, such as being weightier and fuller, as well as being more textural and tannic on your palate. So what that means is white wine drinkers should steer towards the lighter hued rosés, and red wine lovers should go for the darker ones.
• Most still rosés should be sipped fresh (with very few exceptions), meaning the newer the vintage the better, except, of course, when you’re drinking actual vintage rosé champagnes.
• When it comes to dry rosés versus sweeter ones, a general rule of thumb is this: if it comes from Europe it will generally be dry. Everywhere else in the world it will range in levels of sweetness, but will be less dry than those made in Europe.
• The chart below from WineFolly.com is a ridiculously awesome infographic for picking the type of rosé you want based on the grape varietal. Just check the wine label to see what grapes are featured, then select accordingly. Easy breezy.

THE BUBBLEISTA’S ROSÉ PICKS

Through the course of my intensive rosé research {seasoned TheBubbleista.com readers know what I mean when I say “research!”} I’ve created a list of 12 of my favorite sparkling rosés that is sure to include a bottle (or four) to satisfy every wine lover from novice to seasoned rosé vet.

Taittinger Brut Prestige Rosé

I love how “vibrant” this wine tastes when I sip it! It’s refined {but not stuffy}; nicely crisp; pleasantly dry; and it has great, feisty bubbles with a creamy mousse.

The palate tastes like you’re eating a right-off-the-stem red fruit bowl of fresh strawberries, cherries, and raspberries. The nose echoes the palate, with a little bit of toasted bread and black currants to round it out.

From what I understand, this bubbly pairs well with grilled meats and red fruit dessert like a raspberry tart or cherry clafoutis, but I’ve never been able to leave any left in the bottle long enough to actually find out.

Hashtag #glug

Domaine Carneros Brut Rosé

 Speaking of Taittinger, did you know that Domaine Carneros is the champagne house’s American stateside sister? Check the label for yourself if you don’t believe me.

A fruity and floral sparkling wine that has black and red berry notes, sweet citrus, and rosy floral aromas. It’s creamy on the palate and tastes of fresh red cherries and vanilla, with a slightly tangy flavor pleasantly lingering at the end.

Deutz Brut Rosé 

This is rich sparkler made mostly of Pinot Noir, and it’s intoxicating fragrance reveals super ripe strawberries and cherries. It’s juicy and creamy, with the aromas from the nose carrying over to flavors with the addition of tart, fresh pomegranate and orange citrus sweetness.

This is a good sparkler to have on hand for the summer.

Graham Beck Rosé

Iron Horse Brut Rosé 

Oh, the COLOR on this wine! The deep, rich hue just knocks my socks right off.

This is a very Pinot Noir-driven wine which becomes apparent on the palate: it’s a creamy, full and soft sparkler that has black cherry, raspberry, and a hint of strawberry, and lime citrus. The red fruits follow through on the nose of the wine. Delish!

Cavicchioli 1928 Rosé

I did a #WinesofInstagram review of this wine aseveral ago and it’s still one of my newfound favorites. You can rest assured that I will be drinking this one poolside throughout the spring and summer!

This fizz from Italy has wonderful fresh strawberry aromas and a bit of fruity, red berry sweetness. I also love the pretty and colorful blooms on the bottle that enchant you into taking a sip.

Berlucchi 61 Franciacorta 

Franciacorta is both a region and sparkling wine in Italy. Berlucchi Franciacorta sparkling wine (part of the Terlato Winery portfolio) is made in the classic champagne style known as “classico methodo” in Italy. This deep salmon-colored wine, made of Pinot Noir and Chardonay, is lovely and refined. Lots of luscious, ripe berry flavors with a touch of sweetness. A very refreshing sparkler that’s currently part of my personal champagne and sparkling wine stash.

Besserat de Bellefon Rosé

There’s something about even just saying the name of this champagne that makes me want to break out an Eartha Kitt purr. Well, that is, if I could actually purr like Eartha…

But I digress. I had the pleasure of sipping almost the entire collection of Champagne Besserat {full, future tasting notes coming soon!} and was quite pleased. One of the unique attributes of the wine is that it doesn’t undergo a malolactic fermentation like most champagnes. Perhaps I need to do a Wine Wednesday Wordologie post about what this means soon…hmmm…

The champagne starts off with a pretty salmon pink hue, and has a nose redolent of strawberries and almonds.

The flavor profile is interesting in that it tasted of red summer plums, which was a pleasant surprise. It also had notes of sweet dried cherries and blackberries; toasted almonds; and a tiny bit of “ginger-ish” spice

It’s not always easy to find, but I’ll definitely be adding this one to my #champagnestash, and you should too.

JCB No. 69 Brut Rose

Another one of my #WinesofIinstagram picks, this is a soft, elegant wine with dark cherry flavors and  a hint of sweetness on the palate. Very refreshing and rich.

Ruinart Rosé

The style in which Ruinart makes their wines is why it will always be one of my absolute favorite Champagne houses. The wines are always so delicate, elegant, rich, and fresh. I’m not going to give any tasting notes on this rose and will instead allow you the pleasure of hearing the winemaker himself do it. Take a listen.

Champagne Laurent-Perrier Cuvee Rosé

One of the first things you notice about a bottle of this wine is its curvy, voluptuous shape. The winery calls the bottle shape “an invitation to self-indulgence,” and I couldn’t agree more. The Cuvee Rosé is seductive yet delicate, in both color and taste. Raspberries, cherries, and red currants flood your taste buds with the first sip. This one is a bit of a splurge but is well worth it.

Champagne Lanson Brut Rosé 

Champagne Lanson is one of the oldest champagne houses and also has the distinction of making one of the very first rosés.

Since they made one of the first, it’d be easy to say that they’ve probably perfected the craft, no?

The flavor profile on this rosé is quite delicate and complex as it hints at notes of fruit. Look for red berry flavors {raspberry and strawberry}; floral notes; a slight toasted brioche notes; and soft citrus notes with a wonderful mouth-watering acidity to round it out.

In the final analysis, should get roses or  rosés for your sweetheart? Well, for me it’s always going to be #BottlesOverBouquets. But if you’re not a big gambling man {or woman} maybe you should hedge your bets and get both.

Always take a moment to look at life through rosé colored glasses…then do what I do and promptly swirl, sniff, and take a sip out of them!