Rosés continue to have a bum rap in the United States.

Greg Roberts — Thu, 08 Jul 2010 18:18:04 +0000

Maybe it’s a holdover from the ubiquitous and insipid blush wines that were so popular in the 1970s and 1980s, a mistaken association between pink(ish) wine and wine coolers, or simple wine snobbery. Whatever the reason, it’s really a shame because a good dry rosé is a crisp, refreshing and incredibly versatile wine. Rosés are a summer staple in our house when temperatures rise and a red can feel too heavy. They pair particularly well with seafood, spicy flavors and foods cooked with olive oil, garlic and fresh herbs.

Les Parets, La Clape near Chateau Moyau

Château Moyau Rosé is a lovely dry rosé, made from a blend of 50% Grenache Noir, 30% Cinsault and 20% Syrah. It is fruity (ripe berries, a hint of plum) with floral notes of rose, which are balanced by a lively acidity and complimented by a subtle minerality. Great to quaff on its own, Château Moyau is also a natural for picnics, backyard cookouts and BBQs.

A vacation to the South of France may not be in the cards this year, but at $15 a bottle Château Moyau Rosé is an affordable way to recapture (or capture) the mood, especially when paired with this month’s recipe, a classic Salade Niçoise.

Classic Salade Niçoise *

Serves 6

½ pound green beans, blanched, refreshed and halved (haricots verts – thin French green beans are best if you can find them)

1 pound red new potatoes, peeled, cooked, and cut into 1/8-inch slices

1 small red onion, cut into thin rings and soaked in cold water for 5 minutes

two 6-ounce cans imported tuna (packed in olive oil) flaked into large chunks

¼ pound niçoise olives (pitted and halved if you have the time and patience; in France the olives are usually whole)

2 teaspoons minced garlic

2 teaspoons minced shallot

12 anchovies, soaked in water for 5 minutes and finely chopped (anchovy paste is another option)

3 tablespoons fresh lemon juice

¼ cup red-wine vinegar

1 cup olive oil

2 teaspoons salt

½ teaspoon salt

½ teaspoon black pepper

1 head red-leaf lettuce, leaves torn roughly (or other leaf lettuce; romaine also adds a nice texture)

6 hard-boiled eggs, quartered lengthwise

4 small tomatoes, quartered

Combine beans, potatoes, red onion, tuna, and olives in a large bowl and toss gently to combine, so as not to break up the tuna chunks. Cover and refrigerate for 4 hours.

Place garlic, shallot, anchovies, lemon juice, and vinegar in a small bowl and whisk in olive oil. Season with salt and pepper.

Lightly dress lettuce with vinaigrette and divide among 6 plates. Decoratively arrange hard-boiled egg slices and tomatoes on lettuce, and drizzle with a little vinaigrette.

Dress vegetable and tuna mixture with remaining vinaigrette, tossing gently. Divide evenly among the plates.

Variation: for a fancier salad, try substituting grilled fresh tuna for canned.

*Taken from The Dean & DeLuca Cookbook, by David Rosengarten with Joel Dean and Giorgio DeLuca (Random House 1996)

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Rosés continue to have a bum rap in the United States.

Classic Salade Niçoise *