A Sommelier Explains Why We’re All Obsessed With Rosé

From summer brunches to binge-watching Netflix’s new hit series Girlbosswith your besties, there’s really never a bad time to pop a delicious bottle of rosé. In fact, people are more than a little obsessed with pink wine right now — not only can you subscribe to a summer rosé wine club, but you can further express your passion for pink wine with some adorable rosé-themed swag, rosé chocolate, and even rosé gummy bears. But why the heck are we all so consumed with rosé everything these days? To get some professional insight, we talked to a sommelier and author of Cork Dork($17) Bianca Bosker, and she gave us her two cents on why we’re all *so* obsessed with pink wine.

B+C: Okay, let’s get down to business. Why the heck are we so obsessed with rosé?

Bianca Bosker: Why not? It’s refreshing, it’s quenching, and it’s a good bang for your buck. While I was working as a sommelier, we had a Lebanese rosé on the menu that was so bright, light, and revitalizing you could have guzzled it instead of Gatorade — which is essentially what our guests did. Of course, it doesn’t hurt that rosé is so damn beautiful. One of the most evocative descriptions of wine comes from a very poetic 17th-century French scientist who couldn’t decide which pink wine hue was more exquisite: the one resembling the sun at dawn, the eye of a dying partridge, or a hyacinth flower “tending to orange.”

As I learned firsthand after undergoing taste-training boot camp at the hands of sommeliers and sensory scientists, color can be delicious. [Research shows] it can even be sweet, acidic, or bitter. Our perception of a wine’s flavor is shaped not only by taste and smell but also [by] color, texture, price, our expectations, background music, [and] the people we’re drinking it with. Rosé looks nice, so it tastes great too. And since we tend to chug rosé during the laid-back summer months, our good mood also flavors the bottles.

B+C: Rosé gets a bad rap for being a “girly wine.” Can you debunk this?

BB: That’s just silly. Historians believe civilization’s earliest wines were pink — cavemen might well have been cheering, “yes way rosé.” Fast forward several hundred centuries to the Middle Ages, and much of the wine we drank was still pink. As Katherine Cole writes in her forthcoming book Rosé All Day ($25), present-day dudes like Rick Ross and Flo Rida are certifiably smitten with rosé. Flo Rida has pledged his affection with rap lyrics like “two in the morning I’m zoned in/them rosé bottles foaming in,” and Ross apparently answers to “Rozay.”

B+C: Say we want to bring a good rosé to our best friend’s dinner party. What are some unofficial rules to keep it delicious and on budget (especially when we don’t know what the menu is going to be)?

BB: Rosé is a team player, so don’t stress too much about pairings — it’s a versatile wine. Lighter bottles will make a lovely aperitif, but if you plan to drink pink over a meal, you may ask your wine store for a richer, fruitier, or more herbaceous bottle of rosé with extra flavor oomph. Also, keep in mind that rosé doesn’t necessarily improve with age — part of its charm is vivacity and freshness, which you get [from] drinking younger wines.

I’d also be wary of picking rosé by their label. Don’t be intimidated to stray far beyond France to rosés from Greece, Georgia, Lebanon, Slovenia, and beyond. Some of the best value bottles come from non-brand name regions. Remember the golden rule I learned from my somm mentors: “You can’t make a margin on sh*t people don’t know.” (Translation: You can often find better value wines by straying off the beaten track.)

B+C: Speaking of menus, what are some of the most common and uncommon food pairings that go great with rosé?

BB: For rosé, go cheesé (had to, sorry) — goat cheese with a salad, quiche, tartines, even grilled cheese sandwiches. It’s also no coincidence we drink more rosé during the spring and summer months when foods that go well with rosé come into season [like] asparagus, fava beans, peas, sweet corn, rhubarb. But again, rosé is like the ideal party guest who can play nicely with anyone and anything.

I’ve also enjoyed rosé with takeout sushi and Kraft mac ‘n cheese and will be experimenting with more unusual pink pairings in my Instagram series #pairdevil, where I pair wines with the foods we really eat on, say, a Wednesday night. My philosophy [is that] wine doesn’t need a special occasion — it creates one.

B+C: In your newly released book Cork Dork, you set out on a wine-fueled adventure that took you to some of the swankiest wine hubs in the country. In your experience, is there a wrong way of ordering wine off a menu? Will restaurants judge us for ordering a guilty-pleasure rosé?

BB: As I discovered in the course of apprenticing in several Michelin-starred restaurants, yes, you are being judged. Top restaurants aim to Google their guests before they arrive, and log detailed notes on guests’ budgets, pet peeves, preferences, relationship to the restaurant, and more. [If you] throw a temper tantrum, you risk being labeled an “HWC,” short for “handle with care,” or [a] SOE, short for “sense of entitlement.” The best way to avoid being upsold is just to show open, honest curiosity. Too many guests treat the wine list like a multiple choice test, as if they have to pick the “right” answer from a laundry list of options by the time the somm gets back. You really only need to provide a sommelier (or person at a wine store) two pieces of information to get a great bottle: 1) what you want to spend and 2) what flavors you want to drink. The latter could be as specific as, “I feel like an off-dry Alsatian Riesling” or as broad as, “I want to drink something peach-y.” The somm, who knows the list more intimately than a guest ever could, guides from there.

B+C: Finally, what three rosés are you most excited to drink on a sunny patio this Spring?

1. Domaine de la Grande Colline “Le Canon Primeur” Rosé Pet-Nat ($20, Rhone). [This] slightly effervescent bottle is from a Japanese winemaker working in Southern France. [It] puts the “fun” in funky.

2. Abbatucci Gris Imperial Rosé ($24, Corsica). My rosé guru, sommelier Victoria James, who’s coming out with a book called Drink Pink($20), loves this wine. And she never steers me wrong.

3. Montenidoli Caniuolo Rosato ($20, Tuscany). Delicate and charming. A happy wine for a happy time that reminds me of happy memories in a happy place.

Have you jumped on the rosé bandwagon? Tweet us by mentioning @BritandCo.

Brit + Co may at times use affiliate links to promote products sold by others, but always offers genuine editorial recommendations.

No matter what kind of day you're having, Marissa Cooper's having a worse one. Mischa Barton's The O.C. character went through the ringer during the first three seasons of the teen drama (remember how she overdosed in Tijuana...and also saw her parents post-hookup after their divorce?).

And during her time on The O.C., Mischa Barton struggled with drug and alcohol abuse. She was arrested for a DUI in 2007 and eventually received involuntary psychiatric hospitalization in 2009 after allegedly threatening to end her own life. And in a new interview, Peter Gallagher (who played Sandy Cohen on the show) says he's "just so grateful" for "the fact that she’s still alive."

  • Mischa Barton starred alongside Peter Gallagher in The O.C. from 2003-2006.
  • The actress has revealed the "trauma" of being a star at that point in her life.
  • Peter recently opened up about how he's thankful "she’s still alive."


Dimitrios Kambouris/Getty Images for FLC/John Lamparski/Getty Images

The O.C. follows Ryan Atwood, who moves in with the Cohens after getting kicked out of his mom's house, and starts a relationship with Marissa shortly after. While Peter Gallagher played Adam Brody's TV dad instead of Mischa's, Sandy was a definitely father figure for Marissa, and it seems like Peter felt that same responsibility off camera.

"I’ve always felt very protective of her," Peter told The Independent. "First fame is toxic. First fame can kill you. She was 16 years old when she started working with us, so just the fact that she’s still alive, I’m just so grateful."

“You can go to therapy every day for the rest of your life,” Mischa said in a 2023 interview with The Sunday Times. “There’s just a certain amount of trauma [from] all that I went through, particularly in my early twenties, that just doesn’t go away overnight.”

Josh Schwartz and Stephanie Savage revealed that season 1 overdose not only served as a cliffhanger, but gave “network executives an escape hatch on a performer they had been wary about” (via People). But Mischa Barton got her big break, becoming "how people knew the show," and (thankfully) Marissa recovered — only to die after a car crash in season 3.

As hard as that season 3 ending is to watch, Mischa did have the opportunity to watch it with Rachel Bilson and Melinda Clarke for the first time on their rewatch podcast. "It needed to be a thing, after everything she's been through, but if it's here I'll watch it with you," Mischa says.

"I couldn't do it, Mischa, I couldn't do it," Rachel adds. "But I'm going to do it if you're going to do it."

Mischa says even though being written off the show "was a little bit of a bummer," it wasn't necessarily a surprise. "The character was just doing too much," she told Vanity Fairin 2023. "And I think they ran out of places for her to go. It was not the best thing in the world, [but] there wasn’t much you could do at that point. It was whether she could sail off into the sunset, or die. At that point, I guess it’s better to have the more dramatic ending.”
What did you think of The O.C. season 3 finale? Let us know on Facebook!

Former Disney Channel star Dylan Sprouse and model Barbara Palvin are certainly living the sweet life after tying the knot in Palvin's native Hungary. The couple, who have been together for nearly five years, have always been pretty low-key — except for the occasional and undeniably adorable Instagram post (and a stunning wedding!). We are simply ~obsessed~ with this celebrity couple, especially after they pulled out all the stops for their couple's Halloween costume. Keep scrolling to see some of their best moments :').

See Dylan Sprouse & Barbara Palvin's Halloween Couple's Costume!

For Halloween Dylan Sprouse and Barbara Palvin stunned as the Phantom and Christine from Phantom of the Opera. Dylan wore a mask and a black cape, while Barbara wore a beautiful white dress. While the costume is obviously a nod to the musical, it also totally reminds us of their day as bride and groom.

"In Sleep He Sang to Me," Barbara said in a post, quoting the musical's titular number. "@dylansprouse my forever Phantom."

Who did Dylan Sprouse marry?

www.instagram.com

On the couple's wedding day (July 15, 2023), Barbara wore a Vivienne Westwood wedding gown to celebrate her Hungarian nuptials, bringing together their nearest and dearest for an intimate(-ish) celebration. Barbara and Dylan tied the knot on her parent's property, which conveniently doubles as an event venue, with plans to host an larger wedding in California in the fall.

"This past weekend was supposed to be an intimate event, but we ended up having 115 guests in the end because there are a lot of people we care about, and we wanted them all to be there," Barbara told Vogue.

When did Dylan Sprouse and Barbara Palvin get engaged?

www.instagram.com

Barbara Palvin on Instagram: "♥️"

After months of speculation surrounding the couple's engagement, Dylan and Barbara confirmed their engagement in conversation with Sprouse's twin brother, actor Cole Sprouse, for V Magazine in June, sharing that they got engaged last September.

"We didn't necessarily feel the need to be fully transparent with the public about that aspect of our engagement," Dylan said. "What we wanted to do with Stephen [Gan, V editor-in-chief] and the V team is make something that was kind of tongue-in-cheek about the nature of private versus public. We're playing with the idea of perception."

Barbara noted that the lovebirds wanted to announce the news "on our time," adding, "When some people leaked the information that we got engaged, our PR team was like, 'Hey, so you guys should do maybe a post about it or talk to this magazine or talk to that magazine…' That really annoyed me because I knew we were building this story up. So, I'm very happy that we ended up doing it our way."

When did Barbara Palvin and Dylan Sprouse start dating?

Sean Zanni / Stringer / Getty Images Entertainment

See Dylan Sprouse & Barbara Palvin's Dreamy Halloween Costume: "My Forever"

According to People, the couple met back in 2017 after a party when the Suite Life On Deck star slid into the model’s DMs (and as they say, the rest is history). The duo made their relationship Instagram official back in 2018 with Barbara’s sweet birthday tribute for Dylan’s 26th birthday.

Let’s be real here for a second though, we all knew they were endgame the minute Dylan went above and beyond to support Barbara at the Victoria Secret Fashion Show that same year (remember this viral video?). Three days after the fashion show, the Hungarian model told Vogue Australia that she hadn’t had a boyfriend in six years, but had now found “the perfect guy” in Dylan (we aren’t crying, you are).

How old are Barbara Palvin and Dylan Sprouse?

Vittorio Zunino Celotto/Getty Images

Barbara Palvin was born on October 8, 1993, making her 31 years old. Dylan Sprouse was born on August 4, 1992, meaning he's 32 years old. So there's only a one-year age gap between them!

Stay up to date with all of Brit + Co's favorite celebrity relationships. Let us know your thoughts on Twitter!

This post has been updated.

2017's The Beguiled gave us one of the best groups of people of all time: Elle Fanning, Nicole Kidman, Sofia Coppola, and Kirsten Dunst just to name a few. And we're finally getting an Elle and Nicole reunion thanks to Apple TV+! "THRILLED to bring @rufithorpe genius hysterical heart-wrenching heartwarming book to your TV screens alongside a dream group of people!" Elle says on Instagram. Rather than having to test the success of its pilot, the series has already been ordered — even though the book it's based on isn't even out yet! Here's everything you need to know about the series.

  • Dakota and Elle Fanning will produce the upcoming Apple TV+ show Margo's Got Money Troubles.
  • The series follows Margo, who signs up for OnlyFans after learning she's pregnant.
  • The cast includes Elle Fanning, Nicole Kidman, Michelle Pfeiffer, and Nick Offerman.

Who's in the Margo's Got Money Troubles cast?

Amy Sussman/Mike Coppola/Getty Images

Margo's Got Money Troubles Cast

We couldn't contain our excitement when we learned Margo's Got Money Troubles will star Nicole Kidman and Elle Fanning, but knowing Michelle Pfeiffer is also joining the cast is too much to bear! This is the first time the actress will collaborate with her husband, TV creator David E. Kelley, so we can't wait to see the magic they'll create (via Deadline).

Nick Offerman from The Last of Us and Parks and Rec will also star.

When is Margo's Got Money Troubles coming out?

Ron Lach/Pexels

Margo's Got Money Troubles Release Date

We don't have an official release date for Elle Fanning and Nicole Kidman's TV show yet. I'm thinking if the TV show is in the early stages of planning, we could see it in 2025! Check out all of this year's best New TV Shows to hold you over until then.

What is Margo's Got Money Troubles about?

Amazon

Margo's Got Money Troubles Plot

Margo Millet is the daughter of a Hooter's waitress named Shyanne (Michelle Pfeiffer) and an ex-wrestler (via Deadline). She's always had to make it on her own, even though she's not sure how. When she enrolls in her local junior college, she's totally unprepared to get swept up into a torrid love affair with her English professor — or to get pregnant.

Now at 20 years old, Margo needs an income and fast. She decides to experiment with OnlyFans and ends up taking some of her estranged father's advice from the world of wrestling to create a character users will fall in love with. You can order the book now!

What is Elle Fanning and Nicole Kidman's new TV show?

Tima Miroshnichenko/Pexels

Margo's Got Money Troubles is coming soon to Apple TV+ thanks to a bunch of different producers. A24 is backing the film, as well as Elle and Dakota Fanning’s production company Lewellen Pictures and Nicole Kidman’s Blossom Films, to name a few.

What else has Elle Fanning and Nicole Kidman starred in?

Focus Features

Elle Fanning and Nicole Kidman starred in 2017's The Beguiled. The movie follows John McBurney, an injured Union soldier, who winds up at a female Southern boarding school after deserting the Civil War. But soon, as the women help him, tensions turn to rivalries and friends turn to enemies.

Are you excited for Elle Fanning and Nicole Kidman's TV reunion? Let us know what other New TV Shows you're watching in the comments.

Brit + Co may at times use affiliate links to promote products sold by others, but always offers genuine editorial recommendations.

This post has been updated.