by: Priscilla —

I was introduced to Babe Rose (https://www.swishbev.com) while “summering” in the Midwest… and yes, when you live in Arizona you “Summer” anywhere else but here! While staying with my family in Chicago,  my girls and I jaunted out to Iowa to visit some friends. Again, when you’re in Arizona, corn fields, rivers and lakes are exotically refreshing. My friend’s Sister-in-law dropped by and brought over some canned wine she discovered  in Door County, WI (shout out to all who’ve been!). I’ve never really had a canned wine before and truth is…I’m a bit judgemental when it comes to wines in boxes or cans….however, it was Happy Hour and I didn’t want to be rude…so, “wine not”! (never gets old!)

When my friend poured the wine in my glass, my first impression was the bubbles and color. The pour was like a brut but with more “froth” (not sure the right term for that). The Rose was so effervescent it just screamed come and drink me by the Lake in the late afternoon sun. The playful bright pinkish red color brought me back to Napa where we would convene in the backyard meadow playing Bocce and enjoyed inappropriate jibber-jabber. Now, when it comes to Roses, I’m quite picky. Mostly because I do not enjoy sweeter wines, unless they’re a port or dessert wine and even then I’m finicky. My first sip was quite the surprise! The dry, bright, crisp and bubbly first taste was so refreshing. There was a hint of floral but overall a very mild fruity burst at the finish. I wouldn’t call this a fruity wine, but I could definitely get strawberry and maybe cherry when I swallowed. I definitely enjoyed it and loved every bit. I do think this is a great buy at $16.99 for a box (4 cans which equals 1 1/4 bottles) and something most people would enjoy. Its a no fuss yet fun everyday sparkling Rose. If you don’t mind the can I’d say its a go to when boating, pooling or enjoying the finer days of warmer weather.

Update: Now, truth be told, I did pour myself a “can” upon writing this entry to bring me back to the day and rustle up my taste buds… and it was 5:30 when I was writing… so… I do recommend serving this Rose really chilled if you’re sensitive to fruitiness. I feel that the more chilled it is the less sweet it tastes (there might be a fancy term for that but I don’t know…Amon?). I also noticed that as the wine sat for a bit the fruitiness wasn’t as strong but the bubbles weren’t as strong either. It did maintain its crispness though, as it sat in the glass. I still think this is a great “Go-To” Rose for hanging out poolside or BBQ…or even a Happy Hour with friends. If you’ve tried this wine (Yay or Nay) please give us your thoughts!

HIS THOUGHTS:

by: Amon

This is a summer drink, for sure.  Clear, blush rose by color with gas. Raspberrry / herbaceous notes on the nose. Crisp acidity with subtle effervensence, low alcohol and minimal finish.  What I like about this wine is the delivery method…a can. It is all too often than I want a glass of wine but don’t want to commit to opening a bottle. Or, I may want the convenience of taking a non-glass container to the beach, pool, or friends house.  The vast majority of wine is consumed within 18mo of the bottling. There is no need for maturation of this wine and “bottle time” has no role. Yes, there is a place for the romance of a bottle of wine, but I like having options. Personally, I embrace the concept of alternate enclosures (i.e. screw caps) and cans of wine and I hope to see more options in the future.