As we recover from Fourth of July festivities and ease into summer’s relaxed pace, there’s a fair chance we’re toasting the lazy days ahead with a glass of something pink. The evidence is all around us: at the wine shop, bottles of pastel-colored liquid crowd out the traditional reds and whites that hold sway the rest of the year. By-the-glass wine lists at neighborhood restaurants suddenly sport several rosés to choose from. We’re awash in a sea of pink!

Not all of these wines are from France, of course, but many of them are. It’s the first place I think of when I consider a bottle of rosé, and I’d guess that I’m not alone in doing so. The pale rosés from the sun-kissed vineyards of Provence hold a special place in many a wine lover’s heart.

But the whole picture of French rosé requires a much bigger canvas than that. It reaches beyond Provence to almost every wine-producing region of the country! From Alsace in the northeast corner, to Occitanie in the far southwest, you will find a stunning array of rosé wine to choose from, made from an impressive diversity of grape varieties.

Bone dry or slightly sweet; still or sparkling; palest pink or fluorescent fucshia – French rosé comes in all colors and styles. Production methods vary too: some are made by bleeding off the first-run juice of a red wine; others are what aficionados refer to as intentional rosés, made via direct pressing; and, in Champagne, rosé wines are made by blending red and white wines together.

As you can see, French rosé is a subject well worth exploring and, on Saturday, July 21^st, the Winophiles will do just that. Individually, each participating blogger will pursue a thread of particular interest – perhaps a bubbly Crémant de Loire made from Cabernet Franc, or the surprise of a still rosé wine from Champagne – and craft a blog post for all of us to enjoy.

We publish on the evening of the 20^th or early morning on the 21^st, then gather via Twitter at 11 am ET, under the hashtag #Winophiles. Our chat lasts one hour and covers a broad swath of subjects such as food and wine pairings, travel stories, and tasting notes.

Sound like fun? Then join us! We always love when new folks come into the fold, and it’s easy to participate. Here’s how:

• Send me a message letting me know you’re interested. You can do that by responding in the comment section of this post or by emailing me at swirlingdervish@outlook.com
• Include your social media handles (Twitter, Instagram, Facebook) and your blog URL.
• Choose your topic and get working on your post!
• Send me the title of your post by Wednesday, July 18^th. I will compile all the titles and publish a preview post on Thursday the 19^th that will include links to all participants’ home pages. I’ll share this preliminary HTML with the group via the Facebook page. (If you’re not already a member, let me know so I can add you.)
• I will also provide a list of questions to guide our discussion on Saturday.
• Publish your post Friday evening or early Saturday morning.
• Attend the chat at 11 am on Saturday or schedule your responses to the questions.
• Following our chat, I will update the HTML to include links to the final posts.

For extra inspiration, here are links to a few websites that focus on French rosé:

• Wines of Provence are the classic example of French rosé.
• A brief explanation of how Rosé Champagne is made.
• The deeply colored rosé from the celebrated soils of Tavel in the South of France.
• A quick primer on the wonders of Crémant sparkling wine, made in many regions.
• A tour through the wonders of Rosé de Riceys, Champagne’s suprising still wine.

If you have any questions regarding the topic or about the Winophiles group in general, please let me know. In the meantime, crack open a bottle of French rosé that strikes your fancy. Think about where it comes from, which varieties were used, the impression it makes on your palate. Then tip your hat to the winemakers of France who have toiled to create so many options for us. However we’re feeling, whatever our mood, whether we’re relaxing with friends or indulging in a moment of solitude, the perfect French rosé is close at hand. I’ll drink to that!