Triennes Rose

Triennes Rosé is a dry-style pink wine from Massachusetts, bottled under the Esplanda label. The details on file don't name the grape blend, vintage or alcohol level, so check the bottle for those. Rosés from cool New England growing conditions usually run lean and bright. Expect red-berry fruit such as strawberry and raspberry, perhaps a hint of citrus peel or melon, and a crisp, mouth-watering acidity that carries the finish. Rosé is made with little or no skin contact, so tannin should be barely noticeable. Oak is rarely a factor in this style, so the flavors tend to be clean and fruit-driven, with a light to medium body and a dry or off-dry finish. Serve it well chilled, around 45 to 50°F, which is a couple of hours in the refrigerator or about 30 minutes in an ice bucket. Going much colder mutes the fruit, and letting it warm past the mid-50s makes the wine feel flabby. There's no need to decant. Pour it straight from the bottle into a standard white-wine glass or a tulip-shaped glass with a slight taper, which keeps the aromatics concentrated while the wine stays cool. Fill the glass only about a third full so each pour stays cold. At the table, bright, dry rosés suit foods that are salty, fresh or lightly herbed. Good matches include goat cheese salad, grilled shrimp, steamed clams, lobster rolls, charcuterie, and tomato-based dishes such as caprese or gazpacho. The acidity also holds up against fried calamari and mildly spiced seafood, and the red-fruit character works with grilled chicken or salmon. This is a drink-now bottle. Rosé is made for freshness, and its fruit and acidity are usually at their best within a year or two of the vintage, so there's no reason to cellar it. Keep it in a cool, dark place until you chill it, and finish the bottle within a day or two of opening.