The best rosé wines to enjoy in spring: tips and pairings

With the arrival of spring, the lengthening of the days and the first out-of-town trips, the menu also undergoes a change. From the warm, full-bodied and nutritious dishes of the cold season, we move on to a selection of recipes based on lightness and prepared with fresh, colourful ingredients, without ever compromising on taste. When it comes to sweetness and vivacity, it is impossible not to go in search of the perfect bottle to uncork during a picnic or at the first outdoor lunches of the year.

Here are the best rosé wines to drink in spring, with some tips on how best to pair them!

Rosé wines: fresh and light by nature

It is always a good time to sip some wine, but it is also true that to celebrate certain occasions some types of wine are more suitable than others. While autumn and winter clamour for the full-bodied and organoleptic power of red wines (some of which are perfect for making an invigorating mulled wine) with the arrival of the new season, the palate craves something different, lively and refreshing.

Rosé wines are the perfect candidates: for a long time considered a mere 'middle ground' between white and red varieties, these products are now enjoying renewed popularity, thanks to their adaptability and their distinguishing traits. Their bouquet is usually floral or fruity, not very complex, while on the palate they are light, balanced and not very tannic, which is why they are often more drinkable even on occasions that call for light-heartedness.

The characteristics of rosé wines should not, however, be misleading: they are friendly wines, certainly, but they can also accommodate more particular organoleptic nuances and, in some cases, a more structured body, traits that make them even more versatile... and not only in spring!

Best pairings with still rosé wines

Adaptable and full of charm - thanks to their colour nuances ranging from pale pink to orange - rosé wines are excellent companions for a wide variety of eating occasions, especially when there are dishes on the table - be they meat, fish or vegetable-based - with spring and summery hints.

Rosé wines and vegetarian dishes

Lovers of vegetables and vegetarian menus can rejoice: spring is a season that offers a lot in terms of fruit and vegetables, guaranteeing genuine and fresh ingredients that are excellent for spring recipes.

Part appetiser, part main course, broccoli and pea quiche is one of them, to be eaten freshly made or prepared the night before and enjoyed cold during a picnic in the park. Easy to prepare, practical, but above all tasty, this savoury quiche is a truly excellent seasonal idea that conquers the palate thanks to its different textures. On the one hand the softness of the egg-based filling, on the other the crispness of the pastry and the light crunchiness of the vegetables on the surface, brought about by baking.

So much deliciousness deserves an equally tasty pairing, offered by a wine that goes perfectly with vegetable dishes: a 'Sul Vulcano' Etna Rosato DOC 2021.

This product combines suavity and grit, offering on the nose delicate floral scents of wisteria, then surprising the palate with a distinct minerality, which amplifies the fresh scents. The most lively and spirited soul of Sicily!

Even more suitable for a spring lunch in or out of the house is a cereal salad, such as quinoa with chickpeas and artichoke hearts. Fresh and healthy, this dish is far from boring, however, thanks to the interesting combination of different tastes, such as the sweetness of the chickpeas and the bitter hints of the artichokes. A combination that should be supported with the right wine, light, delicate and with very moderate tannins, such as a Bardolino Chiaretto DOC Classico 2021, characterised by hints of aromatic herbs and pleasant notes of red fruits. On the palate it expresses minerality and softness, while remaining light and balanced.

Rosé wines and spring recipes for meat and fish

When in season, there is no shortage of recipes in spring that will win over even meat and fish lovers. The ingredients to play with are almost endless, especially when you want to let your imagination run wild in the kitchen. But to really respect the characteristics of spring gastronomy, you must bring to the table something tasty but light, fragrant but balanced, without slipping into excess.

This is why chicken is one of the great protagonists of meat menus this season. Partly because it offers a delicate flavour, and partly because it can adapt to a really wide range of recipes, accommodating condiments of all kinds.

In this case, it can become the star of a fresh and tasty dish, to be eaten as a salad or used as a filling for delicious sandwiches: Coronation Chicken.

This cold recipe - first cooked on the occasion of the coronation of Queen Elizabeth II on 2 June 1953 - consists of seasoning boiled chicken with a sauce made of lemon, mayonnaise, dried apricot pieces, crème fraîche and sliced almonds, with the addition of a light curry spice. The perfect oenological pairing consists of a product that - despite its lightness - has a good punch, such as a Lagrein Rosato Alto Adige DOC 2023. Excellent alongside the best risottos in the Italian culinary tradition, this wine flaunts a bewitching cherry red colour in the glass, and tickles the nose with a lively bouquet of red fruits, including raspberries, currants and cherries. In the mouth, it is slightly acidulous and structured, a character that fits well with the spicy hints of this chicken. 

Those who prefer fish recipes to meat ones can enjoy a smoked haddock with poached eggs and asparagus: nothing could be more spring-like! The soft texture of this fish species and the creaminess of the egg will immediately tempt you to take another forkful, accompanied of course by a sip of wine. In this case, you can go for a 'Colle Cavalieri' Cerasuolo d'Abruzzo DOP 2022. The pure Montepulciano d'Abruzzo grapes used in its production give the product a beautiful intense pink colour and influence its organoleptic profile, resulting in a full-bodied and smooth wine, excellent for both savoury meat dishes and fish menus.

Dining with rosé bubbles

Whether at a spring lunch in the garden, during the first barbecue of the season or at a picnic in a meadow, a bubbly always brings good cheer, turning the day around with its lively perlage.

From hors d'oeuvres to desserts, the versatility of effervescent rosé wines is such that they can be uncorked for the most diverse occasions, starting for example with the most popular protagonists of aperitifs: fried finger food. Not only the famous fish & chips (which are always welcome), but also mixed fried vegetables, onion rings, scotched eggs, crab claws and chicken croquettes. The choice of wine is crucial: between bites, the palate deserves some relief from the greasy texture of these savoury delights. The mouth can be cleansed, for example, by a generous sip of Lambrusco, in its rosé version. To be consumed young and strictly on light-hearted occasions, this product first of all conquers the eye, with its bright pink colour. But it is above all the scents that surprise: a bouquet of red fruits that makes you fall in love and a fruity flavour amplified by the liveliness of the bubbles.

What to uncork instead when the aperitif becomes more refined and includes sushi, sashimi and other raw fish? Don't worry: a Bolgheri Rosato Toscana IGT 'Cassiopea' 2022 from Italy will provide the perfect pairing. This excellent aperitif wine is loved from the very first sip, thanks to an aromatic profile reminiscent of wild berries and a light background spiciness. On the other hand, it is lively and light on the palate, a real gem for spring tastings.

Concluding this review of rosé wine pairings for spring is a tasting suggestion that brings desserts and rosés closer together. In this case, the full-bodied puddings and chocolate cakes so popular in winter can give way to fruit desserts, such as the classic Victoria Sponge Cake, composed of two layers of sponge cake filled with strawberry jam and vanilla whipped cream, or delicious scones also to be eaten with jam and buttercream.

In both cases, these desserts have a texture that tends to be fatty and therefore require a fresh and pleasant bubble, even better if it can best represent the Italian Metodo Classico, such as a Franciacorta. 

A glass of Franciacorta DOCG 'Flamingo' Rosé Brut, for example, is perfect for bringing lightness to the palate, amplifying the fruity aromas of these desserts with its hints of violets and berries and a lively, persistent perlage.

Now that you know how to create a spring menu and the ideal wines to accompany it, choose the best rosés from the Svinando catalogue!