A Rosé by Any Other Name

Whatever you call it, it's a perfect wine for summer sipping

click to enlarge A Rosé by Any Other Name
Young Kwak
Coeur d’Alene Cellars’ Rosé chilling on a hot summer day.

ARBOR CREST CLIFF HOUSE BLUSH

Envision yourself with a glass of chilled Cliff House Blush on a late summer evening amid the charm that is Arbor Crest Winery. Not too sweet, not too dry, Cliff House blends Riesling and Sangiovese grapes to give you honey and floral notes, as well as strawberry, spice and crisp apple. Ah, summer!

COST: $10

LATAH CREEK SPOKANE BLUSH

Latah Creek also uses Riesling varietals to form their Spokane Blush. They add their award-winning Wahluke Slope AVA Merlot for a range of fruit, including citrus, berry and red currant, to create what Latah Creek manager Vicky Jacobsen calls their "picnic wine." It's available at many area grocery stores, including Bottles in Millwood, Yoke's and Fred Meyer.

COST: $10

BRIDGE PRESS CELLARS ROSÉ 2014

Of the three methods used to produce rosé — including skin contact with red grapes and blending red and white wines — Bridge Press uses a method called saignée. Extracting a portion of Cabernet Franc and Merlot, they create a dry, crisp rosé with a fruity nose available at their MarketPlace tasting room and several dozen retail and restaurant locations throughout Spokane.

COST: $14

CDA CELLARS 2013 ROSÉ de SAIGNÉE

Coeur d'Alene Cellars combines seven varietals, including Mourvédre, Syrah, Grenache and Viognier, to create this recently released wine with floral and earthy notes. Find it online, in their tasting room, at Spokane's Wandering Table or at Le Peep in Coeur d'Alene, and area Super 1 grocery stores.

COST: $17

MOUNTAIN DOME BRUT ROSÉ

Known for their sparkling wines using the traditional French Champagne method, Mountain Dome features several sparkling wines that blend red and white varieties. Their nonvintage Brut Rosé combines Pinot Noir and Chardonnay, which they then ferment and age, finishing it with a touch of sugar to balance the acidity.

COST: $22