Seeing Life Through Glasses Of Rosé: The Top 5 Rosé Wines

Summer is a perfect time to sit outside, put your feet up, and sip something cool and maybe a little sweet — like a glass of chilled rosé. Its summertime appeal is likely what makes rosé such a popular selection. The category of rosé wine has actually become one of the more popular in the Snooth People's Voice Wine Awards, a campaign allowing regular wine lovers like you to pick their favorite wines as the best of 2012. There's still time for you to vote but we've noticed some early front-runners, especially when it comes to our rosé nominees. Let's take a look at those early leaders:

Rosé of Malbec "Crios" Balbo: An Argentinian selection made with (as you might have guessed) malbec, this rosé starts with aromas of watermelon and sweet strawberry and follows with the flavor of those same strawberries mixed with chrry and other wild berries. We recommend pairing a glass of this with something meaty like a Latin-style flank steak. 

Isabel Mondavi Deep Rosé: The "Crios" only recently pulled ahead of this popular dark-ruby rosé wine from Napa Valley. Made from cabernet sauvignon, the aromas of strawberry, cranberry, and red apple hit the nose first but the red fruit in the flavor is delicious. Pair with complex like a grilled prosciutto-wrapped chicken stuffed with fresh mozzarella and basil. 

Muga Rosada: Spain shows their talent for rosé with this rosado from the Rioja wine region. A mix of grenache along with a couple other Spanish grapes, drinkers note the scent of tart fruit and taste sweet fruits like apples. This is a good wine to pair with a nice New York strip steak and some hearty sides.

Bonny Doon Vineyard Vin Gris de Cigare: A wide assortment of grapes come together in this Californian blend. They deliver flavors of cherry, strawberry, and even a bit of guava. Many drinkers also pick up on herbal and floral hints. Go for a sweet-and-sour brisket to pair with this unique wine.

Wolffer Rosé: Hailing from Long Island, N.Y., this rosé is blended from several popular grapes, including merlot, chardonnay, pinot noir, and many others. Floral aromas lead to flavors of ripe fruit, including fresh berries, wild strawberries, and a few other red fruits. This is a good wine to pair with a vegetarian option such as baked eggplant Parmesan.

Don't forget to vote in the Snooth People's Voice Wine Awards! 

— Clare Goggin Sivits, Snooth