Pink wines go with dinner, prep palates for new flavors

Let’s give a big shout-out for pink wines. Thankfully, roses are a fast-growing segment of the wine world.

A couple of reasons why: There’s a growing number of terrific renditions readily available. Add to that the support of the wine professionals, who are increasingly aware of how diverse and food friendly well-crafted pink wines can be at the dinner table.

Cafes and bistros, especially along the Mediterranean basin, have known this for decades. Seaside tables are filled with well-chilled pink carafes during the warmer months.

Because Hawaii sports summer weather nearly all year, why not drink wines suited for summer all year as well?

I also wonder whether the warming of our climates, and with it the generous sunshine, contributes to bigger, riper red wines. Because wines with impact, opulence and suppleness earn high scores from wine media, many winemakers take advantage of the ripe fruit and fashion their wines accordingly.

But from my point of view, the window of food-friendly wines is narrowing.

Enter the pinks, which deftly fill gaps that lie between white and medium-bodied red wines.

Pinks serve the kind of role cranberry sauce plays at a Thanksgiving feast: They refresh the palate, readying diners for that next bite or second helping.

My latest favorites:

» 2014 Eric Chevalier Grolleau Rose (about $17 a bottle): Grolleau, a nearly forgotten grape variety, is experiencing a mild renaissance in France’s Loire Valley. These grapes are grown in meager, strongly marine soils. The resulting pink wines, when masterfully crafted by passionate, dedicated winemakers such as Eric Chevalier, can be remarkably light, ethereal, crisp and refreshing.

A well-chilled glass on an especially warm day is most enjoyable, and this rose also pairs well with a variety of foods. Try it with lighter fare such as chicken Caesar salad, with richer soups such as oxtail, and complex seafood dishes that incorporate an abundance of vegetables, especially tomatoes.

» 2014 Yves Leccia Rose “Ile de Beaute” (about $21): This standout pinkster from Corsica is produced mainly from the rustic, indigenous nielluccio grape variety grown in rugged terrain. Yet winemaker Yves Leccia, a skilled and talented craftsman, harnesses the grape’s virility to produce a classy, minerally wine that is unique, delicious and food friendly. This wine is even sturdy enough to pair with meat dishes. It is one that I wait for every year — it is that good.

» 2014 Marquiliani Sciaccarrellu Rose (about $26): Another fabulous rose from Corsica, this offering is currently my top pick. Produced primarily from the indigenous sciaccarrellu grape variety, grown on Corsica’s eastern coast, this rose possesses remarkable lightness that led one importer to say, “It is like drinking a cloud.”

While I tend to keep my focus on value-driven wines, I must say this wine is certainly worth the price of a few more dollars. Treat yourself to a bottle.

Chuck Furuya is a master sommelier and a partner in the DK Restaurants group. Follow his blog at chuckfuruya.com.