Flowers are blooming. The trees are green. And you’re ready to spend warm spring days swinging on your porch swing or having friends over for a barbeque. To make your spring days (and nights) a bit more perfect, add a great spring wine! 

Let’s talk about the best wines for spring sipping and to celebrate the end of winter.

Spring Wine #1: Sauvignon Blanc

Sauvignon Blanc is a great white wine to sip on a beautiful spring day. Its crisp, zesty, herbaceous flavor will remind you of gardens blooming. 

Sauvignon Blanc has a light to medium body. And has a fresh, lively character because of the wine’s natural acidity. 

When sipping, you’ll detect flavors from citrus, herbs, and tropical fruits to minerals and florals. But the flavors can depend on the region where the wine is grown and the age of the wine. 

Sauvignon Blanc is best served chilled. So put it in the fridge for at least 30 minutes. Or put it into an ice bucket for 15-20 minutes. You want it to reach 45-55° – but you don’t want it too cold. Otherwise, the flavors will become muted.

Sassy Sauvignon Blanc Spring Food Pairings

Sauvignon Blanc has a versatile character, so it pairs well with light and fresh dishes. Think salads, fish, shellfish, and herb-forward recipes. 

You can pair it with shrimp scampi, oysters on a half-shell, or grilled fish. Sauvignon Blanc also pairs with light pasta dishes like linguine with clams or spaghetti with lemon and herbs. If you prefer a vegetarian option, try grilled asparagus, roasted bell peppers, or ratatouille. 

It’s best to avoid anything that is a fatty, protein-rich food.

Check out Rove Estate’s Sauvignon Blanc for your next wine & food pairing.

You’ll enjoy the aromas of pineapple, guava, lemon verbena, and fresh green peppers. The texture is creamy with concentrated flavors of passionfruit, grapefruit, and lemon verbena. Our Sauvignon Blanc wine delivers concentrated flavors from start to finish.

Spring Wine #2: Rosé

Rosé wine is the pinnacle of a refreshing wine to sip on a spring day or evening. Between its pink color and light flavor, your taste buds will rejoice at being reminded the days are getting warmer.

Rosé comes in a wide range of flavors and styles since it’s made with a variety of grapes. You’ll discover flavors of red fruits, melons, and hibiscus to citrus, white pepper, and stony minerals. But it’ll depend on the region the grapes are grown. 

In the coastal cool climate of Leelanau Peninsula, Michigan, most years we plant Pinot Noir, Cabernet Franc, Merlot, and Blaufränkisch grapes for our Ragaire Rosé.

And for the first time this year, we made a Rosé out of Pinot Gris – which is super special! You still have the signature berry and watermelon flavors. But the notes are more citrus-forward.

Before drinking your Rosé, chill it for a few hours in the refrigerator or put it into an ice bucket for 30 minutes. You want the wine to chill to 45-55°.

Raving Rosé Spring Food Pairings

The balance of fruitiness and acidity makes Rosé an excellent wine to pair with a variety of food.

You can pair it with spicy foods, salads, seafood, grilled meats, or light pasta dishes. Try a Greek salad, grilled shrimp, sushi, or grilled pork with your Rosé. It also pairs great with pasta primavera, bruschetta, and hummus. 

Check out Rove Estate’s Ragaire Rosé for your next wine & food pairing.

You’ll love the aromas of white cherry, lemon, and delicate sweet pea flowers. The acidity zings from start to finish with vibrant flavors of peach, strawberry, cassis, and watermelon.

Spring Wine #3: Riesling

Whether you’re enjoying a picnic, barbeque, or hike, Riesling is a great wine to pair with the outdoors. It’s light and refreshing with a crisp, fruity character that makes it versatile for every occasion.

Riesling comes in a variety of styles from dry to sweet with a body from light to medium. The flavors range from citrus, stone fruits, apple, and pear to honeysuckle. jasmine, and honey (for the sweeter styles). Certain regions produce Rieslings with notes of minerals.

Serve your Riesling at a temperature of 45-50° – which is about 30 minutes in the refrigerator.

Rocking Riesling Food Pairings

Riesling’s vibrant flavors and sweetness make it a perfect match to balance out spicier or richer dishes. Think spicy Asian & Indian foods or creamy sauces.

Riesling also pairs nicely with oysters, scallops, shrimp, roasted pork, ham, pork chops, and grilled or roasted chicken. If you want something vegetarian, try roasting the vegetables or try a veggie soup.

Check out Rove Estate’s Riesling and Select Harvest Riesling for your next wine & food pairing.

For our Riesling, you’ll discover aromas of stone fruits, poached pear, and hints of dried anise filling the glass. The palate is met with electrifying acidity and notes of bright green apple, lime zest, and a clean mineral finish.

In the Select Harvest Riesling, there is the essence of ripe peaches and orange peel with delicate overtones of honeysuckle. The palate expresses notes of lime zest, mandarin oranges, and sugared lemon peel. The finish is crisp and clean.

As spring melts away the last of winter, try out one (or all!) of these amazing spring wines and foods.

And you can do just that by joining Rove Nation Wine Club!

As a Rove Nation member, you’ll have FIRST access to our new wines – like our 2022 Ragaire Rosé. 

Join Rove Nation today! You don’t want to miss a sip of our singular spring wines.

Want to learn more about food and wine pairings? Dig into our Food and Wine Pairing 101. Also check out our other wine and food pairing guides for Summer, Winter, & Fall.

 

 

Chardonnay wine is synonymous with “white wine.” Go to any wine bar, and when someone orders a glass of “white,” they usually mean Chardonnay. It’s a wine that ranges in style from lean and sparkling to rich and creamy – making it versatile in flavors approved by any palate. 

So let’s pour a glass and learn more about Chardonnay.

Chardonnay Wine’s Origin & History

The Chardonnay grape originates from a cross between the Pinot Noir and Gouais Blanc grapes. And it’s the most widely grown white grape varietal in the world. 

The history of Chardonnay goes back to the Middle Ages. It first originated in a small village in the Burgundy region of France called (surprise!) “Chardonnay.” The original meaning of Chardonnay was “place of thistles” or “thistle-covered place.” French Catholic monks began spreading the grape and wine beyond the Burgundy region, where its popularity grew into the world’s best white wine.

But big business almost toppled that popularity in the 1980s. For a period, Chardonnay was considered a wine only drunk by “ignorant” wine drinkers. Much of the Chardonnay wine produced during that period was overly sugary, having lost the buttery, creamy flavor to mass-production.

Wineries saved Chardonnay by experimenting with the white grape to produce flavorful Chardonnays again – making it the most popular white wine once more.

Chardonnay Wine’s Characteristics

Chardonnay is a well-loved white wine with a wide range of flavors and aromas – but this all depends on the climate it’s grown in and whether it’s oaked or unoaked. The beauty of Chardonnay is it can express the flavors of the land and showcase the winemaker’s style. So it can be crisp and refreshing to velvety and rich.

When drinking a glass of Chardonnay wine, you’ll find a dry, medium- body wine with no to low tannins and medium acidity. 

Color: A Chardonnay’s color ranges from pale (unoaked) to deep gold (oaked).

Flavors: A Chardonnay’s flavors depend both on climate and whether it is oaked. The standard flavors are apple, peach, pear, melon, starfruit, and pineapple.

Oaked Chardonnay will have additional flavors of vanilla, baking spices, or butter along with tropical fruits (think pineapples and mangos) to green apples and citrus. The taste will be rich, full-bodied, and smooth.

Unoaked Chardonnay ranges in flavor from citrus and green apple to overripe peach and canned pineapple. It’s lively (like Pinot Grigio and Sauvignon Blanc) but without the “green” flavors. The taste will be more minerally and dryer than an oaked Chardonnay. 

Aroma: Green apple is the characteristic aroma of Chardonnay wine, but other aromas depend on the growing climate of the grapes. Cooler climates tend to produce aromas of citrus, pear, and tropical fruits. While warmer climates also have tropical fruits but may contain scents of spice or caramel. 

If you’re drinking an oaked Chardonnay, you’ll also detect notes of vanilla, honey, and butter.

Aging: Most unoaked Chardonnays are meant to be drunk young, but there are several that can be aged. For oaked Chardonnay, it can be aged 5-10 years.

Chardonnay Wine Food Pairings

When serving Chardonnay, there’s no need to decant before serving. Just make sure the bottle is at 45-55° (this is a little below room temperature).

When it comes to food pairings for Chardonnay, there are a lot of choices depending on if you’re drinking a bottle of oaked or unoaked wine. Chardonnay wine is versatile handling lighter dishes like fish and lobster to heartier dishes like macaroni & cheese! But overall, keep the spice flavor low and instead accentuate the Chardonnay with creamy, buttery flavors and textures.

An oaked Chardonnay calls for bolder food pairings like crab cakes, linguine & clams, halibut, and pork tenderloin with apples. For a vegetarian option, pick rich or starchy vegetables like corn, pumpkin, squash, or mushrooms.

Overall, oaked Chardonnay pairs well with intense dishes like smoked fish or guacamole. But you can also go simple (think seared scallops) to let the flavors of the wine shine.

Unoaked Chardonnay is a leaner white and has a crisp, delicate, mineral flavor, which calls for pairing with crisp, delicate foods. So think raw seafood (like oysters or sushi), sauteed fish, chicken piccata, or veggie risotto. 

If you’d like more help with wine and food pairing, check out our guides for winter wines, fall wines, and summer wines. We also have a great Food and Wine Pairing Rules 101 to help deepen your understanding of wine and food!

Grab a bottle (or 2!) of Rove Estate’s Chardonnay!

At Rove Estate, we bottle both oaked and unoaked Chardonnay – and they’re absolutely delicious!

Our 2021 Reserve Oaked Chardonnay is tropical and creamy, tasting of starfruit and pineapple with a touch of hazelnut. 

The 2021 Chardonnay is aged in stainless steel giving off clean, fresh aromas of white peach, honeydew melon, and elderflower. The palate is silky and generous with notes of pineapple, golden delicious apples, and lemon yogurt. The fruit flavors and refreshing acidity make for an elegant, well-balanced wine.

If you’re a Rove Nation Wine Club member, you have access to our 2018 Reserve Oaked Chardonnay. This wine has aromas of fresh apples, lemon, and warm vanilla spice. The palate expresses flavors of honeydew melon, ripe yellow apple, and finishes with a touch of hazelnut.

Want to learn about more wine? Check out our other essential wine guides on Pinot Noir, Riesling, and Rosé. Slainte!

As summer moves into fall, temperatures dip, the fireplace sparks to life, and oven-roasted chicken finds its way back onto the dinner menu. And it also marks the beginning of when wine drinkers move away from lighter summer wines to the reds of winter. But the beauty of fall is it bridges the gap between the transition from whites to reds. So let’s dive into some of the best fall wines!

Fall Wine #1: Sauvignon Blanc

Sauvignon Blanc originated from south France with its name meaning “wild white.” And it’s the perfect dry white to sip during the cooler days of fall with its high acidity and medium-light body.

Sauvignon Blanc carries tastes of gooseberry, honeydew, white peach, and passion fruit – embodying a mix of late summer and early fall fruits. When choosing a Sauvignon Blanc to sip at your next leaf color-changing party, look for a wine that’s aged with a bit of oak. This will give it a fuller body.

Stunning Sauvignon Blanc Fall Food Pairings

Sauvignon Blanc pairs best with lighter meats and herb-driven dishes. Think of herbed sauces like pesto poured over pasta, chicken, tofu, or fish. Sauvignon Blanc also pairs great with turkey, a traditional fall protein. You can also pair this white fall wine with oysters, crab, and calamari. If you want something more vegetable-forward, try a cucumber dill salad, fried zucchini, artichoke, or eggplant.

It’s best to avoid fatty, protein-rich foods when thinking of food pairings for your bottle of Sauvignon Blanc.

Check out Rove Estate’s 2021 Sauvignon Blanc for your next wine & food pairing.

You’ll find bright aromas of pineapple, guava, lemon verbena, and fresh green peppers. The texture is creamy with concentrated flavors of passionfruit, grapefruit, and lemon verbena. Our Sauvignon Blanc wine delivers concentrated flavors from start to finish.

Fall Wine #2: Gewürztraminer

Pronouncing Gewürztraminer may be a mouthful (“gev-OORTZ-tra-meener”) but this wine doesn’t disappoint when in your glass. The most famous sources for the Gewürztraminer grape come from Germany and the Alsace region of France – making this white wine’s cooler origin perfect for fall.

Gewürztraminer can range from dry to semi-dry and sweet with a medium to full body and low acidity. Gewürztraminer offers a combination of flavors from lychee, grapefruit, and pineapple, to rose, stone fruits, and ginger. You’ll detect aromas of rose, honey, ginger, and lemongrass.

Glorious Gewürztraminer Fall Food Pairings

Gewürztraminer pairs well with spicy and exotic dishes, like Indian food or Singapore noodles. It also pairs great with different fowls from chicken and duck to turkey – making Gewürztraminer a great addition to any Thanksgiving meal. If you want a more vegetarian pairing, try any naturally sweet vegetables like carrots, bell peppers, or squash.

Check out Rove Estate’s 2021 Gewürztraminer for your next wine & food pairing.

Our Gewürztraminer wine has classic notes of lychee, grilled pineapple, and delicate rose petals, followed by flavors of apricot, mango, and a hint of ginger. The texture of this wine is soft and silky with concentrated fruit notes.

Fall Wine #3: Pinot Noir

Pinot Noir is the world’s most famous light-bodied red wine. Red wine drinkers love it for its long, smooth finish and aromas of red fruit, flower, and spice – making Pinot Noir the perfect red wine to move you from the light summer Rosé and get you ready for the fuller-bodied red wines of winter.

Though this wine is typically light-bodied, it can also become more complex with aging. Pinot Noir is typically dry with low tannins and medium-high acidity. You’ll discover flavors of cherry, raspberry, mushroom, clove, and hibiscus.

If you pick up a bottle of Pinot Noir from France, you’ll notice it won’t say Pinot Noir on the label. When grown in France, all Pinot Noirs are labeled by the region they come from (like Burgundy). 

Pleasing Pinot Noir Fall Food Pairings

Pinot Noir can be enjoyed with almost any food, making it the perfect food pairing wine partner. Pair your next bottle of Pinot Noir with duck, chicken, salmon, stews, or tomato-based sauces. For a vegetable dish, try it with mushrooms or other earthy vegetables (like root vegetables). And it can pair nicely with bright red to black fruits for dessert.

And remember to decant your Pinot Noir 30 minutes before enjoying that first sip!

Check out Rove Estate’s newly released 2021 Pinot Noir for your next wine & food pairing.

Our Pinot Noir has a long, lingering finish and balanced aromas of Michigan Cherries, baked cranberry, cocoa, and clove.

As summer turns to fall, we hope you’ve found food and wine inspiration to enjoy on those first crisp autumn days and nights.

We’ll be clicking glasses with you from Leelanau Peninsula, Michigan!

Want to learn more about food and wine pairings? Dig into our Food and Wine Pairing 101, and to get you ready for winter, check out our Winter Wine and Food Pairing Guide.

If you closed your eyes and imagined the best summer wine, we bet Rosé is what comes to mind. Rosé wine has become the quintessential summer wine to sip with its delicate, refreshing flavors. It’s perfect for a summer party, sipping at the poolside, or eating alfresco. 

So let’s dive into all things Rosé wine!

Rosé Wine’s Origin & History

Produced for centuries, Rosé wine draws on connections back to the ancient Greeks. And thanks to the Phoenicians and Romans, Southern France became the epicenter of Rosé wine. The Phoenicians brought the Greek grapes to Southern France where the popularity of the light pink wines grew. When the Romans arrived, they used their considerable trade routes to make Rosé wine popular throughout the Mediterranean.

So what is a Rosé wine exactly? 

First, there is no specific Rosé grape. Rosé wines are made from several types of grapes or a single varietal. There are some grapes grown and harvested specifically for Rosé. They harvest the grapes early in the grapevine’s life, which helps maintain the Rosé’s acidity and fresh fruit flavors.

And Rosé wine is not created by mixing red and white wines. Though such blends exist, Rosé wine is a category itself. 

Grape skins are what give the color to Rosé. This is achieved through a variety of maceration methods, but mostly, it has to do with the time the grape skin comes into contact with the wine. Red wines come into contact with the grape skins for a long period, while most white wines have no contact with the grape skins. Rosé is in the middle. The longer the grape skin remains with the wine during maceration, the deeper pink the Rosé will get. 

At Rove Estate, our signature Rosé blends have about 4 hours of skin contact to create that beautiful light pink or salmon color. We do not manipulate the color, so that pretty pink is 100% authentic! 

We also choose specific vineyards for our Rosé wines, and it completely depends on the season. In a year that we can make high quality red wines, we will. But because we are a farm-first winery at Rove Estate, we make a Rosé wine in years that might be a little cooler. Sometimes our Rosé is a blend of red grape varietals (Cabernet Franc and Merlot), or some years we will do a single varietal wine (like Pinot Noir). These are all stylistic preferences that are decided in the cellar!

Rosé Wine’s Characteristics

The beauty of Rosé wine is its wide variety of flavors and tastes that can please any palate. Rosé wine comes in so many varieties that it’s a great year-round wine that can brighten up a winter night or cool down a summer’s day.

Rosé wine can be still, sparkling, or part of a blend. It’s usually fresh, fruity, and acidic and ranges from very dry to extremely sweet (like a Zinfandel).

The Rosé will taste different based on the type of grapes used, so it’s important to read the label to understand the flavor profile of the wine. 

Color: Rosé wines come in a spectrum of pink, from pale blush and vivid pink, to dark pink.

Flavors: Depending on the type of Rosé, the flavors can range from strawberry to citrus zest and rhubarb.

At Rove Estate, because of our soil type and the fact that we grew cherries on our farm for decades before transitioning to vineyards, our Rose gets a lot of red fruit flavors – red cherry, dark cherry, strawberry, pomegranate, cranberry, and raspberry.

For other labels, typically light Rosés have strawberry, mint, and grapefruit flavors. Light-medium Rosés have cherry, rose petal, and herbal flavors. Medium-full Rosés have hints of raspberry, hibiscus, and white pepper. Whereas full rich Rosé wines have flavors of berry jam, bell peppers, and black pepper.

Aromas: Because of the ranges of Rosé varieties, the aroma profile can be different as well. You’ll find scents of strawberry, watermelon, and floral (think roses, violets, and jasmine).

Aging: Rosé wines are not aged since they’re produced for ultimate freshness. But it’s recommended to not store a bottle of Rosé over 2 years.

Rosé Wine Food Pairings

Depending on the type of Rosé wine you choose will determine the best food pairing.

Light Rosé wines pair well with salads, pasta, rice dishes, burgers, grilled fish, and seafood. Light-medium Rosé wines pair with grilled meats like lamb and pork and shellfish. Medium-full Rosés pair nicely with grilled chicken, pork, vegetables, and salads. Full rich Rosé wines are a great pair with BBQ, grilled ribeye, and pizza. 

If you need more ideas for food pairings with your bottle of Rosé, check out our Summer Wine and Food Pairing Guide. And if you’d like to dig deeper into wine and food pairings, read our Food and Wine Pairing Rules 101 guide. 

When serving your Rosé, serve it somewhere between 40-50°. So put your bottle in the fridge or an ice bucket several hours before serving. Though Rosé wines are made from red wine grapes, it’s not necessary to decant before serving – so this is up to preference!

Get ready to “Rosé all night” with Rove Estate’s 2020 Ragaire Rosé.

People like to say, “Rosé all day,” but at Rove Estate, we say, “Rosé all night!” Why? Because our 2020 Ragaire Rosé will make you want to do just that! 

Ragaire is a Galic word meaning “someone who enjoys wandering all night.” And a bottle of Rove Estate Ragaire Rosé is the perfect companion for long talks in the night swinging on a porch swing or with a bonfire crackling in the background. 

The Rove Estate Ragaire Rosé has aromas of white cherry, lemon, and delicate sweet pea flowers. The acidity zings from start to finish with vibrant flavors of peach, strawberry, cassis, and watermelon. You’ll love every sip!

Winter means bundling up to play in the snow and then sitting by a fire sipping a glass of great wine staring out at a snowy landscape. Finding the perfect winter wine to elevate your cold evening can make it an even more enchanting experience. But when pairing wine with the perfect dish, it can be the “cherry on top” for your winter night. 

To help you create this experience, we’ve put together a list of the best wines to drink in winter along with several food pairings. What’s great about winter wines is they go so well with the comfort dishes you love.

Read on to find out more about winter wines and what to eat with them.

Winter Wine #1: Cabernet Franc

It’s no surprise that red wines are great winter wines. The tannins in red wines have warming properties that can help push away those winter chills. 

And a Cabernet Franc is the perfect medium-bodied red wine to handle winter comfort foods with its dark fruit flavors and high acidity. Drinking a glass of Cabernet Franc on a winter night is like slipping into your favorite sweater. 

Captivating Cabernet Franc Winter Food Pairings

Cabernet Franc pairs well with roasted pork, beef stew, spaghetti and meatballs in a red sauce, turkey with cranberries, and roasted red peppers or eggplant.

Check out our 2018 Trí red blend for your wine & food pairing.

It is a red blend with 56% Cabernet Franc, 40% Merlot, and 4% Pinot Noir. You’ll discover aromas of dark fruit, especially plum, and licorice with black cherry flavors and notes of allspice and clove. 

Winter Wine #2: Merlot

Merlot is one of the best-loved wines for winter – and it’s no big surprise. It’s the perfect wine to enjoy during a simple, relaxing evening playing card games with friends.

Merlot is a mellow wine that has a soft finish, easy tannins, and bursts with red fruits. But depending on the region for the Merlot, it can be more fruit-forward or medium to full-bodied. The more dominant the Merlot, the bolder the meal you should choose to complement its boisterous nature.

Magnificent Merlot Winter Food Pairings

Try pairing your next Merlot with pizza, penne pasta, barbeque, ratatouille, or braised meat. Be sure to avoid anything delicate or spicy since the flavors will clash.

Check out our 2018 Trí red blend for your wine & food pairing.

This red blend – which is predominantly Cabernet Franc and Merlot with a touch of Pinot Noir – will satisfy your Merlot needs.

Winter Wine #3: Chardonnay

Now hear us out – most don’t think of white wines in winter, but we think we can change your mind.

Take the Chardonnay. It can be crisp and fruity or full-bodied and complex. Many are finding it to be an ideal winter white wine since its richer tones pair well with soups or meat-based winter dishes. Sipping a Chardonnay alongside a classic winter soup will remind you of being away at your favorite weekend getaway spot.

And to fully experience a Chardonnay as a winter wine, before sipping, decant it and allow the wine to breathe a little to wake up and savor its full richness.

Charming Chardonnay Winter Food Pairings

Chardonnay pairs well with creamy pasta, corn chowder, or fish, chicken, or pork in a creamy sauce.

Check out our 2018 Reserve Oaked Chardonnay for your next wine & food pairing.

You’ll find aromas of fresh apples, lemon, and warm vanilla spice. The palate expresses flavors of honeydew melon, ripe yellow apple, and finishes with a touch of hazelnut.

Winter Wine #4: Riesling

Riesling comes from the cool climate of Germany, making it fit well as a winter wine –  and Germans know all about cold winter nights. Sipping a Riesling as you sit next to the fire may help you feel more like you’re away visiting Europe this winter.

Rieslings can range from dry to sweet, with notes for bright citrus and green apple. It traditionally has an even balance of sweetness and acidity, making Riesling a great pairing for most foods.

Ravishing Riesling Food Pairings

Try pairing the Riesling with winter comfort foods like sausage and mashed potatoes to spicy curries. Or better yet, because of its versatility, set it out at your next Thanksgiving dinner.

Check out our 2020 Select Harvest Riesling or 2020 Riesling for your next wine & food pairing

The 2020 Select Harvest Riesling is harmonious from start to finish with aromas of fresh nectarines, lemon curd, and lime introducing flavors of peach, juicy pear, and a kiss of candied ginger.

The 2020 Riesling is dry with aromas of yellow apple, lime, and pear blossom giving way to mouthwatering acidity balanced with sweet orange, white peach, and green apple.

We hope you enjoy winter a bit more with some great wine and food.

If you want to dig deeper into wine and food pairings, look at our Food and Wine Pairing 101.