Not your mother's Rose...

Should we even admit it? Do we dare?

We like pink wine. No, don't get scared, this is not your mother's White Zinfandel. Nor is it like the wine coolers you drank before you were of legal age.

These tart, dry pink wines are delightful on a warm summer evening, perfect with a backyard barbecue, and lovely with an appetizer of grilled vegetables. (Kerry makes some killer grilled tomatoes, you'll have to ask her for the recipe.)

We have sampled (read: consumed) two varietals of pink wines this season. The first is Crios Rose of Malbec, from Argentina. Yes, it is made with the same grapes of a traditional Malbec. The processing (with or without the grape skins) account for the color of the wine. I found the wine to be pleasantly tart and have a nice, dry finish. Robert Parker, Jr. gave the wine 89 points and said, "The 2007 Rose of Malbec is medium pink with an expressive bouquet of strawberry and cherry. The wine is medium-bodied with lots of glycerin giving the wine a smooth palate feel. Dry in style, the wine has rich flavors, excellent acidity, and a lengthy finish. Drink this remarkably food-friendly wine over the next 1 - 2 years. All of the Crios wines are outstanding values"

The second pink wine we tried was Nine Vines Rose made up of a Grenache and Shiraz blend. Again, this wine utilizes grapes traditionally used to make red wines. Again, this is a light, tart, dry wine. The Wine Spectator gave the wine 89 points and said, "This wine has raspberry and strawberry aromas on the nose. On the palate, zesty fruit flavors of red currant and raspberry from the Grenache combine with spicy cherry of the Shiraz to produce a crisp, refreshing wine with a long, full finish."

The Nine Vines Shiraz Viognier, a red, is another interesting blend and quite a tasty combination of grape varietals. It's a nice, lighter red that will be great to enjoy all summer long.

So, if you are looking for a new wine to try, be adventurous. Go pink--you might be surprised with what you find.