Drink Pink: A Celebration of Rosé

by Victoria James, Lyle Railsback

Combining delightful stories with whimsical and clever illustrations,  Drink Pink  is a clever, captivating, and unpretentious look at rosé for novices and connoisseurs alike.

For years, rosé has lived a quiet life as the not-red and not-white wine, but in the last five years this vintage has taken its rightful place in the spotlight.  Use this book as a guide to rosé’s myriad of pleasures.  Comprehensive and complete with both esoteric knowledge and entirely practical cocktails and dinner party recipes, this is the perfect book give your girlfriend or keep to display for yourself!

Part 1: Rosé Is Old School – Learn about the three-thousand-year history of rosé, and see exactly why it took so long for this wine to saturate American culture.

Part 2: Producing Pink Juice – Discover the crafting methods that set rosé apart from other wines, and get a crash course in the significance of saignée, skin contact, blending, and more!

Part 3: People and Places – Study the different producers of rosé and start talking like a true sommelier.

Part 4: Why and How to Drink Pink – hear professional foodies and wine experts sing praises about pink wine, and –

Part 5: Recipes – Enjoy a myriad of rosé-related recipes.  Here, the options are endless!  Cocktail recipes starring rosé; appetizer, entrée, and side dishes that include or pair well with rosé; classy desserts and the best types of rosé to accent them. 

There’s no better way to get in the pink than with Drink Pink!

Genres: Nonfiction, Wine, Cookbooks, Food, Food and Wine

117 pages, Hardcover

First published May 2, 2017

About the author

Librarian note: There is more than one author with this name in the database.

Victoria James is an award-winning sommelier and a partner at Gracious Hospitality Management, which includes in its portfolio the Michelin-starred Cote Korean Steakhouse—where James serves as the beverage director and oversees more than 1,500 labels. She is also the author of Drink Pink: A Celebration of Rosé, which was published in 2017 by HarperCollins, as well as a contributing writer to SevenFifty Daily and a wine columnist for Forbes magazine.

James landed her first job in the restaurant industry as a young teen—waiting tables at a greasy-spoon diner. A prodigy in her appreciation of wine, she became a somm at just 21 years old and went on to work at some of New York City’s most renowned restaurants, including Aureole, Marea, and Piora.

Despite her very demanding work schedule, James somehow found time in the past year to plan a wedding and get married in Italy, chip away at her second book, and become the cofounder and president of a soon-to-launch educational nonprofit for women and minorities in the hospitality industry.

Reviews

[Jodi · Rating 5 out of 5]

I like to drink rose’ but knew little about it, this was short and informative 4 stars plus 1 for the lovely and fun illustrations!

[Cleo · Rating 5 out of 5]

Upon opening the book and browsing through it, one of the first things that caught my eye were the artistic touches that were placed on each page. They captured the sophistication of the writing and a bit of whimsy…words that I (being a Rosé lover) believe embody the delicious meanings of the incredible type of wine.

Ms. James passionately describes its history, the regions, the producers, how the wine is made and seamlessly answers many of the questions that have been curiously asked over the years.

She adds a personal touch to her book with quotes and small notables from chefs and vineyard owners alike.

At one point in the book there was a quick note of how one New York restaurant didn't have it available, because it was November. I found it odd probably because it tends to be my wine of choice year round and appreciated to see that I was not alone.

I would also like to mention that this book didn't just cover the wine itself. It gave us the “more” we look for in a book. Of course, any wine lover would be happy to add it to their library, but Ms. James thoughtfully put together a collection of unique recipes of foods and cocktails that you will not only pair with your Rosé, but utilize in each one.

From the snacks and sides, to the palette tantalizing desserts, you have something for everyone.

In addition to being a very enjoyable read through the wonderful, yet often overlooked world of Rosé, I know that this book will be something to keep and refer back to for years to come.

In fact, I’ll be on the lookout for Rosé Des Riceys in my travels. Why, you say? Go get the book…

Drink Pink by Victoria James …5 Stars…or perhaps with a some extra merriment in my glass, I’ll give this 5 toasts to the success of this lovely book.

[Sonora Taylor · Rating 3 out of 5]

This is less a history of rosé or even thoughts on drinking it, and more an advertisement for different varieties. I learned some interesting facts, and there are some interesting recipes in the back. However, the non-advertising elements were short enough to just be an article in a magazine. I’d recommend this for a winery tasting room or someone’s cookbook collection, but not for one’s bookshelf.

[Emma · Rating 5 out of 5]

Informative and fun, this is a book for both those who already and those who are learning to love Rose. It includes a brief history of Rose, descriptions of different styles, and recipes both using and to be paired with different styles of rose. Colourfully illustrated, it is a quick, enjoyable read for anyone looking to understand their pink wine better.

[Lucy Manukyan · Rating 4 out of 5]

Such a fun, informative, light and colorful book! I think the book itself is very much in line with how drinking rose feels. It's less of a read through book and more a reference book that you can visit now and then to learn a fun fact, to get guidance on food pairing and to choose a rose at the wine shop. And it comes with recipes which look delicious (I haven't tried any yet but I definitely will)!

[Jessica Barnett · Rating 5 out of 5]

Fun & Informative

Loved reading this book ! It was a great supplement to her first book, yet this time the focus clearly on Rose! It can be tough trying to decide what type of rose is worth purchasing, now I’ll have plenty of options to refer back to when purchasing. Also, her description of wine experiences in France makes me want to go back even more so now.

[Sally · Rating 4 out of 5]

Short and sweet celebration of Rosé, by someone who knows it well and does it justice. Not a lot of detail about style or terroir, but super helpful tips about her favorites. And fun illustrations!

[Amy A · Rating 5 out of 5]

Wine + food + gorgeous water colored sketches. A beautiful little book with soul.

[Kristin M-O. · Rating 5 out of 5]

a Favourite, so far.

[Greer Hunter · Rating 5 out of 5]

The perfect little read about one of my favorite drinks! History plus pairing and shop recommendations. Informative and fun. Would recommend as a housewarming gift to anyone who loves rose

[Les Reynolds · Rating 4 out of 5]

I wish there was more explaining and information, and fewer recipies.

[Josh D · Rating 3 out of 5]

The third book on rosé I've read in the recent past. Where this book lacked in the other two's tasting notes (why?!) and depth, it makes up for it with a well-illustrated and lighter-hearted primer on rosé. Part of me doesn't understand how the book, in the same breath, can throw shade at certain styles of the pink drink while giving you recipes on how to mix it in cocktails, but the inclusion of recipes to pair with rosé gives insight into food pairings and gastronomic culture in rosé-producing regions.

[Greg Giles · Rating 2 out of 5]

A little fluff of a book. The prose is often chunky, and the book is incomplete. It feels like it was dashed off in a hurry.

That said, there's some interesting information about how these wines are made, and the section on French Rose' is fairly thorough, with tasting notes, background and a list of top producers.

[Melissa Railsback · Rating 5 out of 5]

Very interesting history and what is currently happening with Rose Wine.