Rosé Round-up! Featuring One Bottle of White

3 pals, 2 board games, and 3 great wines

Friday nights in your 30s look a little different than in your 20s. The thought of lining up like a fool only to have to pay a cover charge at a night club with no live music makes my skin crawl. Having a couple friends over for board games and glasses of wine on the roof deck? Yes, please!

Last Friday I hosted two friends who are temporarily living in my neighbourhood, and since very few of my friends live near by, I was understandably excited.

I selected two bottles from my recent trip to the Okanagan and popped them in the fridge to chill. I stocked up on my favourite chips to pair with wine (Miss Vickie's Balsamic Vinegar and Sweet Onion), and I cleaned my apartment from top to bottom.

Stoneboat

When my guests arrived, they also had rosé and Miss Vickie's chips (this is how you know you're meant to be friends with someone) so we cracked open a bottle and headed up to my shared rooftop patio.

The first bottle we tried was the 2016 Stoneboat rosé, a sumptuous blend of Pino Noir and Pinotage with just the right level of fruit flavours and subtle sweetness. It comes in under the $20 mark, which is pleasing, and it a perfectly balanced rosé that could satisfy red and white drinkers. Stoneboat is one of my favourite Oliver wineries; it's a beautiful space a little off the beaten path — although their popularity seems to be growing judging by the number of yahoos that stormed in while we were doing out tasting over the Labour Day long weekend, and they produce playful wines that never disappoint.

Oyster Bay

Once the sun went down and our glasses were empty, we headed to my couch and broke out the boardgames. We set up a game of Quelf (from the makers of Cranium, remember Cranium? They used to sell it at Starbucks?) and dove into the next bottle: Oyster Bay Rosé.

I know I've gotten off track recommending wines available at the BC Liquor Stores, but here's one you can find for $20 before tax. Now, I've actually tried Oyster Bay's Rosé once before and frankly, I didn't like it. This time, however, I really enjoyed it, which likely means the first bottle I had was either slightly off or from a different vintage. Either way, I'd say this was another winner in the category of Perfect Wines for Transitioning From Summer to Fall.

At this point in the evening I can safely tell you that my friends and I were feeling pretty jolly. I'd even done my classic move after three drinks: pulling out photo albums and/or trying to convince lady guests to dip into my closet cast-offs. After determining that none of my old clothes fit my friend — or her boyfriend for that matter — it was time for some Jenga.

Quinta Ferreira

What goes better with Jenga than a delicious Riesling from my favourite Portuguese wine makers on the Black Sage Road? Quinta Ferreira is another hidden gem down in Oliver that I make a point of visiting just about every time I'm in Penticton. Not only is it run by a charming family (who once tried to hire me as their sales rep for the Lower Mainland), but they also have a gorgeous patio with complimentary live music on the reg and some very sweet pups to hang out with after a generous tasting.

This Riesling is remarkable, the nose on it is amazing, big on the orchard fruit like apple and pear, and even a little melon. It's a juicy, golden colour that I don't usually associate with Rieslings, and the flavour is mellow with just the right balance of citrus and sweetness. A gem of a wine that must have been released fairly recently as it's not even featured on their website.

All in all, I hope to have more nights like this as weather turns crisp and then rainy. I'll be sure to get the fireplace ready for a night of reds.