PHOTO: Pamela Klein of her new novel 17 Dresses, which is referenced below in my lead-in part of Larry and Ann Walker’s newly released book  A Guide to the World’s Best Rosés.

A Guide to the World’s Best Rosés ~ by Larry & Ann Walker is a Gap-filling Rosé book; it’s timely, comprehensive, and fun. I’m delighted for Larry Walker and his wife Ann Walker. Now I know why he disappeared for a bit.

My friend Pamela Klein just received her first hot-off-the-press copy of 17 Dresses. Pamela and I were just chatting about that it took six years to get her fiction from start to a finished book in her hand. I remember meeting in her San Juan Puerto Rico n 2015, as one of my Facebook friends. We had a great time, she moved back to the LA area, Hurricane Maria has happened, now her book is released. That’s like a lifetime… Six years for her. Larry and Ann… you scamps!

Larry and I spent many years working together, because he’s a wine writer/reviewer and I’m a wine publicist. He was a valuable contact for my wine brands. I actually thought he had retired. I’d see things pop up occasionally, but it didn’t seem to return to where it was pretty quite often. Now I know… now we all know. Larry and Ann have given birth to their project.

PHOTO: Board and Bench Publishing

The New Pink Wine: A Guide to the World’s Best Rosés,

published by Board and Bench Publishing

They now have got “writing duo” on their list of accomplishments. Larry and Ann are obliging the rapidly expanding US set of rosé devotees, with their timely new buyers’ guide. And the authors bear a message for these new American enthusiasts. Pink wine tastes just as good in December as it does in July.

As the US Rosé market heats up,  authors Larry and Ann Walker offer a “how-to” manual for the coming revolution.

For one, pink wine is arguably the most food friendly wine.

“While doing the tasting for this book,” says Larry Walker, “it became apparent that rosé is a more versatile wine with food than either red or white. Even though we were already big fans of pink wine, we were constantly surprised by how well the wines covered all bases.”

“It has the ability to shape itself to the food on the plate, unlike, say, Cabernet Sauvignon or Chardonnay, which are locked into a fairly narrow flavor profile. Dry rosé has a much wider profile.”

The Walkers are true foodies, and it shows. Included are a dozen exotic recipes from regions where pink wine has been drunk for millennia.

The New Pink Wine is the only rosé buyer’s guide in print, featuring over 200 wines from around the globe, with tasting notes written in a style that “conveys a sense of genuine pleasure rarely encountered in wine writing these days,” says Norm Roby author of The Connoisseurs’ Handbook of California Wine.

Additional features include:

• Pink Primer: rosé history, and methods employed to make pink wine.
• Pink Profiles: Discussions with producers from the U.S.A., France, Iberian Peninsula, South Africa, and beyond.
• A case of quality for value.
• Wines and Producers Indexes for easy in-store selection.

~ Endorsements ~

Norm Roby, contributing editor for Wine Spectator and Decanter magazines, and author of The Connoisseurs’ Handbook of California Wine

“Reading this book is like welcoming an old friend, someone fun to hang out with who also has tons of information and first-hand experiences to share. They must have checked out every known rosé. Some are truly rare. And the wine descriptions are detailed but also convey a sense of genuine pleasure rarely encountered in wine writing these days.”

Steve Burns, President of Wine Market Council and co-founder of O’Donnell Lane, LLC.

“The New Pink Wine couldn’t be more timely, comprehensive or fun. Wine lovers’ enjoyment of rose has never been higher and as the category blossoms into a year-around phenomenon this book will help everyday wine drinkers and aficionado’s alike navigate the vast array of delicious roses’ coming from all over the world.”

Final thought: There are a lot of “pink” books out there. I’ve read a few lately. Each one brings a different perspective. What I love about this duo activity is Larry’s longevity in wine. There’s lots of history with some very important Rose producers, from around the world via their world travels. Names that you’ll come to know, via reading this lovely book. Couple that with Ann’s area of expertise for cooking, this is a total package: history, present, and the future of your own rose wine and culinary pairings, with her exotic recipes, from regions where pink wine has been enjoyed, especially for millennia.

[PHOTO: Ekaterina Molchanova]