Rose wines are a great way to beat the summer heat. Luckily, there are far more options for good rose available than even a few years ago. Both American and international winemakers are making quality, affordable roses that deliver great results at affordable prices.

For many years, rose in America translated to white zinfandel, a sweet, one-dimensional wine that is better with soda than by itself. Now, roses are being made out of many different varieties: pinot noir, grenache, cabernet sauvignon, and more. Keeping the trend going, Australian producer Jacob’s Creek has produced a moscato rose for the 2011 vintage.

I’ll admit that I don’t think I’ve ever tasted a moscato rose before. While I’m familiar with moscato, also known as the muscat grape, my experience with it is more extensive in dessert wines and the sweet Italian sparkling wine known as Moscato D’Asti. The key characteristic of moscato has been a fairly sweet flavor profile, and Jacob’s Creek Moscato Rose 2011 falls into that category. While this is a still wine, this is not a dry rose; instead, this wine will appeal to those who prefer a softer, sweeter style of rose.

On the nose, this strawberry pink wine offers bright aromas of red fruit, particularly raspberry and strawberry, with an undertone of green apple and pear. This wine was made in a frizzante style, meaning that this wine has small bubbles. This helps to offset the natural sweetness in the wine by essentially scrubbing the palate. Don’t confuse this with champagne or other sparkling wines; the bubbles are minimal, but they are just enough to keep this wine from veering into a cloying sweetness.

On the palate, notes of strawberry and raspberry continue to dominate, along with what the winery describes as a “sherbet-like” quality, which I found to be quite true. At 8% ABV, this wine is light, and the alcohol does not make an impact on the flavor profile. Even better, this wine is light enough to enjoy during hot weather without feeling that alcoholic punch that wines in the 14% range can deliver.

Jacob’s Creek Moscato Rose 2011 is essentially a picnic wine for those who prefer a sweeter rose. It is eminently drinkable, but it isn’t terribly complex. Instead, this is a wine that is exactly what it was designed to be: soft, sweet, and approachable. It’s the kind of wine I’d bring on a picnic date if I knew my companion wasn’t a big wine drinker, or I’d take it out for a day spent on a boat with friends. I’m half-tempted to guess that this wine probably tastes better out of a plastic cup than any high-end wine glass, and there is nothing wrong with that. I enjoyed Jacob’s Creek Moscato Rose in spite of the fact that I prefer drier wines, and it was an enjoyable summertime rose. Pick some up for your next picnic or party, and you may find that your non-wine drinking friends have found a wine that they like.

Disclosure: I received a sample of this product from Jacob’s Creek for review. No other compensation from Jacob’s Creek was received.