There seem to be a few “truths” in the wine blogging world:

1. Everyone writes a post about how difficult it is to choose the “right” wine to pair with Thanksgiving dinner.
2. There are a bevy of posts about champagne and sparkling wine at the end of the calendar year.
3. The beginning of June results in a deluge of posts about rosé.

There is no getting around the fact that, for the most part, people associate rosé wine with summer. I have said countless times that we like to drink rosé all year round, and the number of people who hold a similar affinity for the pinkish hue is growing. I have thus far resisted the trend and have not written a “Summer is Here, So That Means Rosé” type of post. I figured that it was a one person protest against the pigeon-holing of rosé into a Summer-Only status. By my abstaining from the inevitable onslaught of posts, I was going to elevate rosé to the level of respect it deserves.

My wife put it best:

“How did that work out?”

This year I was sent several rosés a while ago and rather than trying to buck the trend and hold off reviewing them until October (it has become a tradition of ours to serve rosé wines to the adults that come around with their kids Trick-or-Treating), I thought I would throw another rosé post on the inferno.

Yes, my one person protest is on hold.

For now.

I chilled all these down, and headed out on the stoop for a little neighborhood tasting.

2012 Real Compania Rosado: Retail $12. Spain. 60% Garnacha, 40% Tempranillo. Strawberry and cherry on the nose, which combined into a slight Twizzlers effect. On the palate a bit overly acidic with an odd coffee note. Still some fruit but a bit disjointed. Good. 84-86 Points.

N.V. Mochetto Pink Moscato: Retail $15. Fruili Venezie IGT, Veneto, Italy. 90% Moscato, 10% Brachetto I know that Moscato has become a bit of a hip quaff. I know that Pink Moscato is even a step higher on the cool meter. Being tragically un-hip, I was dubious (or perhaps bitter). The name of the wine comes from combining the two grape varieties MOscato and BraCHETTO (it’s the latter that provides the color), which I found a bit hokey. All this made me skeptical, and the nose of strawberry jolly ranchers and a bit of sweetness did not help to ease my skepticism. On the palate, though, there was a very nice fizz and while certainly sweet, it was far from unctuous. The wine goes down quite easily, and I instantly reached for more. With only 5% alcohol, this could easily become a favorite summer quaff. Very Good. 86-88 Points.

N.V. Vallformosa Origen Brut Rose: Retail $20. Cava D.O., Alto Penedes, Spain. 90% Garnacha, 10% Monastrell. For some reason, I do not drink all that much Cava. I am not entirely sure why, but when I opt for some bubbles that are not from Champagne, I usually stick to France with some Crémant or head to California. I might have to rethink that process. This wine was a delight: A pleasant nose of red berry fruit with a subtle floral element. On the palate the fruit is up front and dances with the precise amount of acidity and a vibrant sparkle. I really should drink more Cava. And this is a great place to start. Very Good to Outstanding. 89-91 Points.

So there you have it. A “Summer Rosé” post–something I vowed I would resist with every fiber of my being. I once thought I would rather give up all my worldly possessions than to succumb to the rosé-for-summer-only ethos.

Yeah, that was overly dramatic.