Real Men Drink Pink

When offered a beer it takes courage for guys to choose a glass of wine instead, and even more strength for said guy to accept a glass of pink wine. Too often pink is associated with the sugar-laden sips of White Zinfandel, but the world of pink wine, rosé to be specific, is full of pretty pink pours that are anything but girly. Like all wines, rosé comes in shades of sweetness, but if you head to France's Rhone region to taste test this style of wine, you're more likely to find a dry pink drink. The E. Guigal Côtes du Rhône 2009 Rosé is the perfect place to start. At under $20 a bottle, you'll be surprised at what a pink wine can provide to your imbibing repertoire.

Be sure to chill rosé wines, as they're meant to be enjoyed on the cool side like whites. To taste your rosé, take three sips. First sip is always to warm up your palate, especially if this is the first alcoholic drink you've had all day. Second, swirl it around it in your mouth and note that it's not too sweet. Third, pay attention to how this wine makes your mouth feel. Yes, mouthfeel is a fancy word wine tasters use but seriously it just means exactly what it sounds like.

Don't bother trying to swirl the wine around in your glass to check the bouquet (the smell) of it. You aren't going to get a waft of big fruity aromas. There are hints of citrus, orange peel, and orange zest. But it's what's in the glass that will get you going. Up front it is bright, juicy, and acidic. This is a medium-bodied rosé, meaning it lightly coats your mouth, and it has an intriguingly lengthy finish. It's definitely dry and a little bitter too; there's that orange peel, after all. Besides the shade of pink, there isn't anything feminine about this wine. In fact, there's nothing hotter than a confident guy, and swirling a glass of pink wine will prove you've got true grit.